Heart of Glass
by Arrixam
Summary: Gaia had, at last, slain Alaya but has yet to achieve victory. In its last cry to save humanity, Alaya spreads its dying embers all over the globe. Emiya Shirou is one such fragment, an incarnation to Alaya's expression of Blade. But as the fires of the Fourth War wash away this aspect of humanity, what remains of Shirou? (Contains some original lore, Predator!Shirou)
1. Prologue

**AN: ...I might have a serious problem. I need help. Is there an AA for fanfiction?**

* * *

 **Prologue**

 **Glass is my Heart**

Structural Analysis. It was the only spell his father would be willing to teach him so far. And the man had done such a lousy job at it, never fully telling him how to properly access his Magic Circuits and only going this far so Shirou would stop pestering him about magic. In fact, the man did this with such little vigor in hopes Shirou would give up with how difficult it was.

If only Kiritsugu understood what his son truly was.

In another world, Emiya Shirou would have been a normal boy blessed with a few Circuits (still never properly taught) who could turn his nerves into makeshift Circuits. He would be of flesh and blood, who struggled but never gave up. He would dive into his magic and what spells Kiritsugu would teach him with such discipline they would eventually become a magic that equaled legends.

But this wasn't that world. As there are an infinite number of worlds with an endless sort of possibilities, there also exist a few irregularities among them.

Shirou couldn't use Structural Analysis. Nor could he use any magic for that matter. He couldn't access any of his Circuits nor could he make new ones.

In this world, Shirou gave up on magic.

It unnerved Kiritsugu how quick the boy was to quitting after asking him for lessons. He had been adamant on learning thaumaturgy ever since Kiritsugu had told him what he was. Surely there must have been a reason for it.

Shirou… had never been what anyone would call a normal boy. He never played with the other children of the neighborhood. Taiga and her friend Otoko could rarely get a reaction out of him no matter how much they smothered him.

He never smiled. Nor did he frown. He never laughed nor did he cry. His expression was always blank, always watching, always observing. Kiritsugu would catch the boy trying to emulate him with his stalwart and pained expression. But it was clear in his eyes Shirou didn't understand any of it.

It was as though the boy hadn't a shred of human emotion within him.

Shirou always followed his father. Perhaps this was why he had asked for those magic lessons. He had wanted to imitate the man who adopted him.

As the years passed, as his body withered away to the point where he could no longer venture a plane ride to Germany let alone rescue his daughter from the Einzbern territory, he found himself spending more time with Shirou. And more, he realized, Shirou copied him in almost every way. From the way he sat, to how he drank his tea, to how he walked, even at the same moments to blink.

Of course, he told him he should try to be a bit more independent. Shirou's response was to only nod. Again, no words or emotion but simple acknowledgment.

His answer was to try to emulate Taiga and Otoko whenever they visited. Kiritsugu… put a stop to that immediately. No good could ever come out of such analytical replication of those two's habits.

"You're not using it right," Shirou said one day.

This had surprised Kiritsugu. As usual, the boy would stand in his shadow and observe him. Today was no different as Kiritsugu wasted away in the kitchen failing once again to make them dinner. He could have ordered takeout (as he always did) but Shirou had requested a home meal after being told some story by one of his classmates about family dinners. Kiritsugu thought to give it one more try, picked up the knife, and began to cut vegetables.

A mirthful smile crossed his lips, "I know. I wasn't very good at cutting. Would you like me to show you how to do it? Maybe you'll be better than me."

Standing on top of a chair, Shirou took the knife and listened to his father's instructions with the same focused observation as with anything else.

"No," the boy shook his head. "It's better if you do this."

Expertly, professionally, _masterfully_ Shirou took a position and worked magic. His hands moved across the board with practiced ease.

"…Did Taiga teach you?" Kiritsugu asked.

Shirou shook his head.

"Otoko?"

Again, another shaking of the head.

Kiritsugu frowned. "How did you know how to do that?"

Shirou stared at the knife in his hand. His fingers curled around the grasp trying to find an adequate grip. "I… just do. This knife also needs to be sharpened. And if I were a little older I would have a better grip. What's the next step?"

Kiritsugu would have liked for Shirou to explain to him how he could dice vegetables at a professional level. He had obviously been working on it without him knowing to get to this point. Someone had to have taught him. But he let it slide and would reproach this matter for another time. He told his son the next step and watched him work.

Unfortunately, Shirou was at Kiritsugu's level with cookware and instruments not of the blade variety. His skills with a knife was astonishing but all other skills were amateurish.

In the end, they barely managed to make what could barely be passed as a bastardized version of curry with rice. It also wasn't very tasty.

But Shirou never complained. He never complained about anything anyways. But he also wasn't glad for anything.

"This is a family dinner…?" he looked around the table, at the food, and at Kiritsugu.

The fading man shrugged. "I don't think it matters what's prepared. So long as you have a meal with those closest to you."

There was a bit of nostalgia as he recalled every instance he and his teacher sat together and ate. It was usually shit for food. Very rarely did they have anything good.

"I will learn how to cook," Shirou stated. It wasn't a request or a desire. It was a simple truth. He would learn how to do it whether he wanted to or not. Not a hobby… but something to pass the time.

Kiritsugu frowned at this. "Shirou, if you ever decide to do something, do it because you want to."

He was the biggest hypocrite to walk the planet after giving such advice. He had done horrible things all over the globe not because he wanted to but because he had to. And in the end it amounted to nothing. He lost everything and was left a rotting mess. His time was coming soon. He felt it in his bones.

Shirou frowned, matching Kiritsugu's. "I… need to learn how to cook. How to prepare food. I will make you and others food. People come together for a good meal, don't they? That's what my classmates were saying."

Kiritsugu relented. The boy had a point. The man wouldn't be around for much longer and he would need to fend for himself. Granted he made a deal with Fujimura Raiga to take care of Shirou, and it was decided Taiga would be his legal guardian when she became of age. Shirou would be taken care of but at some point he would grow up. He was still young and didn't need these skills so soon. But if it was what he wanted…

"I'll make some calls…" was all Kiritsugu said. They sat in silence after that, finishing their meal.

0-0-0

To be a hero. That had been Kiritsugu's wish and he had held it even after his passing.

There came a lapse when he died. It was to be expected. Though he didn't cry, Shirou was nearly catatonic when his father was no longer there. Taiga was always there to cheer him up… or at least try and fail to. She usually made herself sad, cry, and it was Shirou who repeated her words to elevate her mood. Sometimes Otoko would come with her, though now that they were entering college her visits were rare.

It wasn't that Shirou was sad. Yes, there was a void in his life after his father had passed on, but not at an emotional level. Shirou was always distant with the people around him. He simply couldn't understand them. Why did they smile? Why did they cry? Why did they struggle or cheer over events? He thought if he could emulate Kiritsugu he could understand.

But now his father, his mentor, and his role model was gone. Shirou didn't know what to do with himself and thus spent long periods of time alone, simply sitting or standing and doing nothing.

Of course, he went through the motions of his regular life when he had to. He worked on a clockwork schedule with hardly any frays in the planning. He went to school, he entertained Taiga and her friend when they showed up, he made meals for himself, and then he went to bed to repeat the cycle the next day. But there was too much time in between. And when he had these gaps with nothing to do, he did _nothing._

He wouldn't breathe. He wouldn't blink. He would be as still as a statue as though he weren't a boy of flesh and blood.

To be a hero… He thought about Kiritsugu's last words. That speech about wanting to be a Hero of Justice.

"I will become a hero," Shirou had said.

And it was then Kiritsugu had given his sigh, smiling, and slipped into the forever sleep.

Shirou never knew what it meant to be a hero. To save people. He understood it meant doing good deeds and helping people out of bad situations. But as someone so detached from a sense of morality, he couldn't comprehend the line between good and evil. To be a hero, Kiritsugu had told him, is to desire people who are in danger.

It's what Kiritsugu wanted to be. He had accepted this notion and carried on with his dream until he physically couldn't.

One day, before the sun was setting, Shirou was on his way to the convenient store. Taiga and her friend were coming over again and Shirou would be making them a meal. They loved his cooking and he was captivated by their reactions. He observed them as he would with Kiritsugu and would repeat their gestures in front of the mirror after they left. It was the sole reason why he took up cooking— to bring people towards him and see how they interacted in a casual environment.

But, he lacked a very vital spice. _Everything_ had to be perfect or the whole dish would be ruined. That single lack of spice would alter the taste. And that would alter their reactions. It would ruin his desired results and he would have to wait until the next time they showed up to try again. And Otoko was rarely showing up after she started to help her father run a bar in New Fuyuki.

But upon arriving at the convenient store, there was a group of men harassing a girl around the corner. He wouldn't have noticed had he been a few steps too slow. They had pulled her off the street and dragged her out of sight. He was the only one around and the clerk inside wasn't paying attention outside. Nor was anyone else for the other businesses aware.

 _To be a hero..._

It wasn't a sense of justice that guided him. It was simply the will to become something akin to the man who gave him purpose. Shirou went around the store to intervene.

The girl was one of his classmates, he realized. Mitsuzuri Ayako, he recalled and rarely ever spoke to her. She was more than likely coming home from cram school when the group of teenage boys took her. They were young, just a few years older than he, and dressed in somewhat similar clothing liken to a gang. Coming from one imitation artist, he could make out they were _trying_ to look like some street gang but didn't have the courage nor the organization to pull it off.

They were arguing whether she was 'girly' enough for them. There was something of a despute and the group of four were arguing whether they should let her go or not. Meanwhile they continued to pin her arms together with what could be assumed as the leader of the group branding a cardboard cutter to her face. Ayako got the message and stopped squirming.

"You're using that wrong," he said aloud as his eyes observed the leader. Mostly the way he moved, how he expressed himself, and his face. He barely glimpsed at the tool.

Oh, of course he was using it against its intended purpose. But that wasn't what Shirou was talking about. The grip was wrong, there was too much of the blade extended and it would snap if trying to put enough pressure on it, and he had the slant of the blade pointed in the wrong direction. All wrong. His handling on a simple instrument was _terrible._ Shirou knew better methods on how to cut Ayako with the tool.

Although he would never be able to explain how he knew this. He simply did.

They turned to him. Ayako's eyes flashed wide open. They were begging at him to go get help.

Alas, he couldn't understand the hidden meaning behind her gaze. He only understood she was terrified and couldn't see anything further.

"The fuck?" said one of them.

"Kid, get lost," said the one with the cutter. "See this? I'll cut you."

"Yosuke, he's already seen us," said another. "We can't just let him go."

"What do you want me to do then? I told you to keep an eye out on— Hey! Don't get any closer!"

Shirou was already a single pace away by the time the leader noticed his advance. He pointed the cutter to his face but Shirou didn't pause. He glimpsed at the instrument for the briefest of moments before his eyes went back to the deviant.

"You use it like this," he said.

His hand moved, gripping the wrist of the teenage boy and jerking it fast and hard enough for the fingers to unclasp. The instrument fell out of his grip before he could realize what happened and landed into Shirou's other hand. The edge was retracted a few centimeters, the correct side was flipped, and he had a grip on it to use as a weapon appropriately.

It had happened in the span of a second. And with one more second, he brought his arm around and dragged it across the teenager's face. It was a shallow cut but one that would still leave a scar. The boy wailed in pain, stumbled back, and cupped his face into his hands.

The others let go of Ayako out of shock. She realized she was free, kneeing the nearest of the assailants in the groin, and took off running and shouting for help.

A fist met Shirou's face. His head bucked to the side from the blow. But no blood came. There was no mark on his face.

The one who threw the fist was gripping his hand and grinding his teeth in pain. His knuckles were bleeding as though he had attempted to strike a brick wall with all his might.

Shirou would have raised the instrument in his hand and delivered the next blow.

But there was a loud bang. The cutter fell out of his grip as he stumbled back. Some great force struck him in the chest and sent him to the ground.

The one whose face he cut had a gun. He had a deranged look in his eyes that suddenly washed away as soon as he realized what he had done. The hatred had changed to dread and fear in but an instant.

"Oh… God…" his voice was shaky as the gun fumbled out of his grip.

None of his friends were saying anything either as they watched Shirou lay sprawled on the floor. Shirou only moved to place his hand on his chest, retract it, and looked at the blood staining his fingertips.

The voices were becoming white noise. He couldn't make out what they were saying, only that they were in a frenzy and shouting with another.

Eventually, he couldn't differentiate who it was doing the shouting as everything became one monotone pitch. The world was becoming a myriad of colors with a dark shadow creeping around his vision.

 _So this is what death feels like,_ he mused. He wasn't afraid of it. He was indifferent towards it. It felt no different from when he was alive.

He shut his eyes and accepted the forever sleep. Inwardly, as a last thought, he pondered if he would meet up with Kiritsugu. It would be… nice, to be able to observe him up close again.

But it was not yet his time.

When next he woke, he was lying flat on a bed. It was a familiar sight as a similar happening was one of his earliest memories. He was in a hospital bed with an IV punctured into his arm, staring up at the florescent lights buzzing over him. The sterile stench of illness and medicine permeated his senses.

He wasn't alone in the room. The girl he had saved, Ayako, was sleeping at his left in a chair with her head resting at his bedside. To his right was a couch, to which Taiga and Otoko slept leaning against the other.

Upon staring at the television screen in front of his bed, which had been conveniently tuned to a news broadcast, he was able to see the time. It was ten in the evening… the following day. He had been asleep for nearly thirty hours.

He didn't make a sound in the slightest but something in the room made Taiga stir from her slumber. She peeped one eye open, yawned, adjusted her seating, and fell back asleep.

But, suddenly, both eyes shot wide open. She had caught him staring at her right before.

"S-S-S-S-S-S-SHIRRROOOOOOUUUUUUU!" she shouted, loud enough to wake the dead.

Everyone else in the room jolted by her antics.

Taiga, almost literally, leapt from the couch straight towards his bed. She threw her arms around him, embraced him despite his apparent injuries, and sobbed as heavily as she could… which was how she normally cried. _Everything_ she did was eccentric.

"You stupid fool!" she cried and squeezed him harder. "We… We thought the worst happened! The doc said you'd be out for days! Stupid Shirou! Don't scare your Fuji-nee like this ever agaaaaaaiiiiinnnnnn! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

This was… an entirely new reaction he never seen before. He didn't know what to make of it.

Otoko came and pried Taiga off of him, which was an incredible feat of itself. But… the girl took her turn to embrace him, sob, and scold him for being the damnest of fools. He let her say her piece while ignoring the throbbing pain in his chest.

Their noise brought the wrath of the nurse. Which then triggered a chain of events such as calling in the doctor to run a few tests now that Shirou was conscious, the police to question him when he felt ready to answer, and _more_ tests to run. The doctor explained he was incredulously lucky. The bullet had missed everything vital. But he should have been out cold for a few days to a few weeks at worst; having him wake up but a few hours after the surgery was a miracle.

All the while, Ayako never left his side. She explained to him she begged her parents to let her stay the night here and Taiga promised to take care of her. She thanked him, over and over again which would have annoyed anyone. But Shirou wasn't stirred in the slightest.

The following day, Raiga had paid him a visit. The old man explained Shirou's 'trash' had been 'taken out'.

…Trash days were on Mondays. Today was Thursday. He didn't understand what Raiga was talking about. But if Raiga said it was something he didn't need to worry about then so much the better.

0-0-0

He was confused when Ayako followed him around school once he returned to his normal routine. She worshiped him and others teased her for it, to which she became flustered and denied any romantic interest. He enjoyed having her around simply because she was another person he could observe up close. Her reactions were different from Taiga and Otoko despite being the same genders. Perhaps it had something to do with age? Or that Ayako had different tastes?

Ayako tried to introduce him to a few of her friends. He acted polite (at least as far as how Taiga instructed him… but, then again, it was _Taiga_ who taught him etiquette). But he wasn't the most social of people and conversations were quick to end. It irritated Ayako and she wanted him to be a little more outgoing.

He was still learning. One day, he promised, he could be as flamboyant as everyone else. Hopefully not as eccentric as Taiga but something that's more socially acceptable.

He met Tohsaka Rin through Ayako. Rin was certainly a character. He could read right through her so easily. Her charming, sweet personality was entirely fake. A front. But he couldn't understand why and so chose to observe her rather than call her out on it.

Unfortunately, Rin didn't deem him interesting enough to be a part of her circle of friends. Merely someone she had heard about, who rescued one of her best friends, and had been curious about. They couldn't build a relationship on that alone, no matter how hard Ayako tried to glue them together.

"You're not using that right," he said one day.

Ayako's concentration fell as soon as he said this. Her brow twitched. She invited him to watch her archery practice in an attempt to get his interest and maybe have him join. More members meant more budget and therefore better equipment. He was only supposed to watch, as he always did with anything else, until he delivered a critical blow to her pride with her words.

"Would you like to try?" she said with a forced grin.

It was against the rules for outsiders to participate without proper guidance, gear, and the required instruction through training camps. But the instructor wasn't there and so Ayako thought she could get away with this much. She told him how to hold the bow, how to grip the arrow and string together, and the seven steps of archery.

"No," he said. "This is how you do it."

She watched as he drew the arrow back, his eyes gazing in his usual blank stare at the target in the distance, with his posture… perfect.

He released, letting the arrow soar through the air and land _perfectly_ direct center of the target.

She, as well as everyone else remaining for practice, were completely blown away by his performance.

Whys and Hows didn't matter. Ayako gripped his shoulders, spun him around to fully face her, and demanded of him, "Shirou! You're joining the Archery Club!"

"I am…?" he blinked while tilting his head, the first of emotion she had _ever_ seen of him.

"Yes! You are! C-Can you do that again?!"

"…I can," he said with a slow nod.

When she released him, he repeated the same performance.

She had only seen one arrow impale another through cartoons, never before in real life.

0-0-0

Through the Archery Club he met the siblings Matou Shinji and Sakura. Shinji was a playboy, in the briefest of sense. He was the star of the Archery Club who would have been captain if he didn't 'politely' decline the position with Ayako taking the mantle. Still, all the girls flocked to him while he bragged on tall tales. He was smart, talented, and good looking.

Shirou liked him most for his personality. It was, in a moral sense, terrible. He treated others as garbage, never admitted to mistakes and instead blamed others, and believed he was above everyone else. This was another subject for studying to Shirou. He never came across someone like this before.

Sakura, on the other hand, was the polar opposite. She was quiet, timid, and apologetic about almost everything even if it was clearly not her fault or if she had nothing to do with any happenstance. She mostly kept to herself, only spoke when spoken to, and was rarely approached. Though, according to Ayako, there have been repeated attempts by everyone to get the girl out of her shell.

He found Sakura… curious. If he could further define this feeling within him, he might just call her… relatable. Yes. Relatable was a good word for it. She was, in the strangest of ways, just like him.

Their eyes met after he had been staring at her. She looked away but he continued on.

It was fortunate when, one day, the two of them were tasked with cleaning up the dojo after practice. She didn't say a word to him other than when necessary. But he on the other hand…

"I don't understand," he finally said.

"…Don't understand… what?" she questioned back.

"You," he said with the same blank voice he always had. "I don't understand you."

"…I'm sorry?" she apologized more out of habit than sincerity.

He stared at her, examining her reaction to his outburst. Her expression didn't change in the slightest. It almost unnerved him how similar they truly were. She was putting up a front just as much as he was. Everything she did was to fool those around her into believing she was just as normal as everyone else. But, within her core, behind that mask she put up, there wasn't anything.

There was also a difference between them. His inner self was abyssal because he had always been that way for as long as he could recall. Perhaps even before the fire. But Sakura? While there was nothing within her core she could recall a time in which emotions mattered to her. There was a deep scar on her soul.

And there was the difference. Sakura had a soul. Shirou, more than likely, did not.

Still, he continued to observe her as the days went on. He went to her when he could. Sometimes never saying a word to her but simply being by her. She would look at him curiously but never say anything against it. Others teased them, as most middle school kids do, but it never bothered either of them.

Ayako was peeved. Shirou was showing more interest in Sakura than her.

It was also what probably pushed Shinji. Shirou was stealing his limelight. Shinji had been the star of the Archery Club until Shirou showed up. And most of the girls were starting to talk about him more than Shinji. And now Shirou was up to something Shinji didn't understand in an attempt to swoon Sakura to his circle.

It was why Shinji, when no one was looking, fiddled with Shirou's bow.

The following day, Shirou went through his normal motions. He checked his equipment, strung his bow, and went through the phases for practice.

His mind told him how to make the arrow fly to reach its intended target. However, it told him nothing about the bow.

The bow snapped in two as soon as the string was pulled to its fullest. Wood and plastic shattered in his grip.

"Shirou!" Ayako had cried out.

"Sempai!" he heard Sakura gasp.

He was bleeding, that much was obvious. After a moment he evaluated his condition and found a large splinter of wood was lodged into his shoulder. It hindered the movements from his arm and a fair amount of blood was staining his uniform.

The damage should have been more. His face should have been torn to shreds and the splinter should have been deeper. It should have impaled him and reached out the other end instead of getting stuck between the muscles.

He was taken immediately for medical treatment. It wasn't serious but the doctor still restricted him from partaking in club activities for a while. They even bound him in a brace to not aggravate his shoulder. Of course, and no one knew this, but his wound was gone within the next few days.

Sakura apologized on behalf of Shinji, who absolutely refused to admit he did anything. Whether Sakura's guilt was genuine or not he couldn't tell. But she was there to take responsibility and be his other hand while his shoulder was, supposedly, healing.

She even followed him home and helped him cook. There was something… stirring within him at the sight of Sakura inside his kitchen. Like a rash growing within his core that he couldn't scratch. Watching her play with _his_ knives… he couldn't explain this feeling.

"You're not using that right," he said. He surprised himself with the sound of his own voice. It was tense and sounded aggravated.

Sakura looked flustered as she too had been caught off guard by his tone. It was the first emotion she had witness come from him. "S-Sempai, I cook at home. I know what I'm doing."

"No," he argued and approached her. He put his hands over hers, adjusted the placement of her fingers and hands, and guided her movements. "You use it like this."

He started slow just to show her how to _properly_ use his knives. While, yes, what she was doing was experienced and she knew what she was doing, her method would make him need to sharpen his knives more frequently than necessary.

"S-Sempai! Your arm!"

He realized he had broken through his brace just so he could use his shoulder. He looked at it, then at her. "Oh. That. It's fine. I'm not as hurt as people think."

"B-But…" she tried to say something but couldn't find the words.

He shrugged, mimicking the same gesture Kiritsugu would use on similar situations. "Don't worry about it. Now look, I'll show you how to make the rest."

She wanted to argue further but he guided her through the kitchen. The cooking lessons Kiritsugu had put him through while he was still around paying off in more ways than Shirou could have imagined. He told Sakura how to use the other appliances and was able to follow through at her own pace. She was skilled in the kitchen, having to make meals for her brother and grandfather, she said.

In the end, they sat together and made curry with rice. Something else stirred within Shirou. He couldn't name the sensation but there was _something_ within him upon sitting at the table with this particular dish. The memory of Kiritsugu flashed before it faded to the back of his mind as quickly as it came.

"Hey, Sakura-chan," he spoke up in a slow voice. Again, another tone that surprised him, as it did with her. She blinked and stared at him with her doll-like vacant eyes. "Wanna come over again? I can… show you how to make other things."

He didn't know why he asked this. When it was just the two of them Sakura didn't behave like how she did with everyone else. Flustered on occasion, sure, but as blank and lifeless as he would be. They were two isolated creatures who were simply in the same room together. He asked her anyways to be like this again with him.

He was asking for her company.

"I… will ask Grandfather," she said with a voice between hope and fear.

It was as much as he could ask of her.

But come the following day, Sakura told him her grandfather didn't simply consent to it but encouraged it. Sakura had been surprised by it as well and let it slip how she couldn't fathom the old man's reasons.

It didn't matter. He had what he wanted. Sakura would come every so often after school with him and he would teach her the practice of the kitchen. It became a party whenever Taiga showed up, especially with Otoko in tow.

It became a handful when Ayako started to invite herself. But Shirou didn't mind… much. He discovered people interact differently with other people. He was witnessing new expressions but they kept coming at a variety he could hardly keep up.

Regardless, after things quieted down and everyone returned to their homes, Shirou would stand in front of the mirror and replicate their expressions.

0-0-0

It was during summer vacation when it happened.

Shirou was sitting by himself, simply sitting, when the bounded field around his house triggered. This barrier his father had left was designed to alert him when someone with ill intent was within the vicinity. However, it only applied to those of the supernatural kind.

It meant someone with a handsome store of prana was coming with the intent to do him harm.

Calling the police would do next to nothing, especially if this invader was of the moonlight world. The police would either be driven off by hypnotic mysteries or would be slaughtered with minimal effort. Kiritsugu had warned Shirou about probable events and had told him what to do in the case this happened. There was an underground bunker hidden under one of the matts with a tunnel that would lead elsewhere.

But Shirou didn't run. He didn't have the opportunity to in any case.

He was sitting on the front porch staring out into the garden when the bounded field triggered. And there, entering through the gates, was the invader.

He was a tall man of slim build. Short cropped hair and of Japanese accent. He was dressed in a pressed suit and carried a case on his back.

Their eyes met. There was no chance to run now.

"This is the Emiya estate?" questioned the stranger.

Shirou nodded once.

"Where is Emiya Kiritsugu?"

"Dead," answered Shirou. "Almost a year now."

They stared. He observed Shirou just as Shirou observed him. Neither moved. Neither blinked. They soaked in the other and read their expressions with unwavering focus.

"You are not lying," the man finally said. "This… is unfortunate. You are… Emiya Shirou then?"

Shirou nodded again. There was no point in lying if this man could tell. Not that Shirou was good at lying anyways. He had yet to figure out the concept of lying and how to get away with it. He tried once. He had been caught immediately.

The man frowned. He raised a hand to grip the strap of the case over his shoulder. "I feared the worst. You will come with me child. I am sorry. But I swear, on my honor, I will see to it no harm will befall on you by my benefactors."

Shirou's eyes shifted over to the strap on the man's shoulder, which then led to the case at his back…

…Which then led towards the contents of the case.

Shirou's eyes glazed over as _something_ was pulled from the back of his mind. As if this certain something had been there all along and he was recalling it. A memory, if one will.

A series of things processed in his consciousness.

"You're not using that right," he said while this information continued to cross his mind.

The man's frown deepened. His eyes narrowed not in irritation but in understanding. He knew what Shirou was implying.

Shirou hopped off the porch and planted two feet firmly on the soft grass. He brought his hands together.

A sword was in his grip as though it had always been there. A katana with a white hilt and a blade nearly as long as he was tall.

Its name was _Fuyu no Kishi._ It was a blade forged out of mundane metals through a mundane process. It was not blessed with divine rites, reinforced through alchemy, enchanted by thaumaturgy— it was simply a mortal blade forged through pedestrian methods. It was a _commoner's_ blade.

It was the blade of Shisharo Kaname, the man standing before Shirou. A blade forged as an insult to the bastard child of the head of the family's affair. A blade that had been with him since he could walk. A blade Kaname had been intimate with and knew just as much as he knew himself. They were not two separate things, nor were they two beings melded into one. They simply _were._

As a mundane instrument, it could not replicate Kaname's mysteries. Those, unfortunately, would forever belong to Kaname and Kaname alone. But the blade had recorded every experience shared with the magic swordsman. Every stroke, every kill, every battle.

Every skill. Every technique.

The blade in Shirou's hands was not the same blade sealed within Kaname's case. It was no replica, no forgery, no Fake. It was its own existence that shared _similarities._

This _Fuyu no Kishi_ was not the blade of Shisharo Kaname. It was the blade of Emiya Shirou. And, unlike its relative, this one was perfected. There was no flaw in its design.

Shirou knew this blade just as well as Kaname knew his. No. Shirou knew this blade _more._

And just with the techniques recorded into the blade, Shirou understood them. How, he will never know. But he knew where Kaname went wrong. Yes, years of battles had sharpened Kaname's techniques to godly levels. And yet… Shirou, who had never wielded a sword before in his life, could transcend this man's abilities.

"You're not supposed to be like this!" gasped Kaname. He looked more confused than surprised. "Alaya… why didn't you tell me?!"

Kaname wasted no movements as he released and unsheathed his own sword in one swift stroke. His eyes were wide and crazed. This was no longer a kidnapping. His eyes told Shirou otherwise.

He had the look of a man who was about to fend off the devil for his life.

Because that was exactly what was happening. Shirou didn't know why he understood this. He could _taste_ Kaname's fear as though it were a literal thing. A whisper of his own voice was telling him in the back of his mind how to approach this man. What method was the best method to kill him. What he would need to prepare for to defend himself.

He found himself debating which technique to use first. And he knew, somehow, which one would kill Kaname the fastest and with the utmost efficiency.

It was as though someone was standing over his shoulder, guiding him, just as Kiritsugu had when he was still around…

"This is how you use it…" said Shirou.

The little boy came at the aged killer with speed, strength, and ferocity that hadn't been there before.


	2. Prologue 2

**AN: ...Didn't think this would be so popular. But, uh, thank you everyone for reading it.**

 **I plan on only having three Prologues before the story actually starts. For now, let's say "Prologue Shirou" is a self-insert. As soon as the first official chapter starts we'll be seeing canon Shirou. At least in personality.**

* * *

 **Prologue (Part 2)**

 **Steel is My Body**

They called her the Earth Mother.

She was wild. She was untamed. She was primitive and cruel as she was beautiful and majestic. She was the Ruler of the World and had been since the birth of the planet. She was the cognitive will and incarnation of the planet itself.

She was most Old and Ancient, having seen everything from the beginning, having molded the course of creation with her own hands and witnessed the birth of life. She watched them shift and change through the ages into creatures of new, of how they Evolved into beings capable of withstanding her most archaic of trials. But still they followed her Laws and she loved them all the more.

And then Alaya came into being.

Humans sprouted out of nowhere, having Evolved from her own creations and rebelling against her Laws. They slew her creatures, they stole her crops, and they abused her Laws. They had no respect for the aspect of the planet and continuously plundered her treasures. Everything they did poked and prodded Gaia like an annoying thorn.

She had tried to remove them while they were young and still learning to walk. But no matter how many volcanic eruptions, seismic quakes, crushing storms, or petrifying blizzards she threw at them there were those that not only survived but triumphed. They learned to shield themselves against her destructive force.

When she delivered her greatest of beasts against them, they learned the art of the hunt. They learned to make fangs and claws of their own out of wood and stone. They learned to melt and harden the stone to make metal bend in whatever shape they desired. In trying to kill them she only made them stronger.

Instead of paying their respects for her nurturing, they created gods in their own likeness. And these Divine Spirits reworked her Laws to fit her standards. They experimented with her creations, with her children of nature, and twisted them into perverse incarnations of _their_ Laws. Authorities, they had been called.

Gaia would never give up. Never. She unleashed plagues that wiped out every life it touched, including those of her kind. She created terrifying and demented Effigies to hunt the humans.

In response, Alaya created its own defenders of the planet. This counter force instructed humanity on how to survive against these threats and to be rid of them. Heroes sprouted, vanquished her beasts, and turned their fangs and hide into their own. Humanity continued to learn from her efforts and now as they had begun to reach their peak did champions come into being.

The cognitive will of the planet came to realize something. One day humans will grow and Evolve to the point where they will no longer require her presence. Humanity will contaminate the planet so far they will be forced to either die or adapt. And humanity had yet to be stamped out, always proving they will flourish no matter how harsh and wicked Gaia may be.

Fear. It was fear that the Earth Mother felt. A coding that hadn't been in the weaving that made her. Something that had sprouted just as the humans had come from nothing. Fear, a sense of dread that she will, one day, perish and her mortal enemy will continue to thrive without her.

This moment, she knew, would be the Evensong. And its hymn for her end was approaching.

She refused to allow all of her creation wither away while this infestation continued to live on her rotting corpse. To build their monuments out of her flesh and breed anew.

A cry went out. A howl of despair and desperation. It reached all corners of the universe and then some. A howl that was not missed by Alaya. It had been a declaration of war.

And Gaia swore she would become a part of this war. Let the Ultimate Ones come to rid of humanity after she was gone. Let them have their fill of blood.

But it would be Gaia who personally slew Alaya's champions. These _Predators_ that dared to insult her name. And let it be she who would slay Alaya before her dying breath.

At the start of the Industrial Revolution, when humanity started its ascension and would begin to play the first hymn for the Evensong, Gaia manifested into the physical realm.

And the hunt began.

0-0-0

The King of Heroes lifted his head and stared out into the open space. His eyes faced the wall but his mind was elsewhere.

"He's dead," he stated with a bit of amusement in his tone.

Kotomine Kirei looked up from his desk. He had been preparing for the next sermons while his King lounged away on the comfortable sofa in his office, once more indulging himself in one of the priest's stores of wine. This was a normal occurrence ever since the end of the Fourth Holy Grail War. Most of the time Gilgamesh wandered around the world to see for himself how the world has changed since the primordial ages. But, after having his fill of disappointment, the King of Heroes would return to Fuyuki.

It was rare to see the King take an interest in anything these days. Especially when nothing noteworthy was happening. However, today was an exceptional day. Today, a strange man had appeared at the Kotomine Church and had asked for an audience with the King of Heroes personally.

Kirei would have struck him down if it were any other man. But this stranger… even Kirei could sense this man was above and beyond measure. He indulged the man with this request after receiving a name and presented it to his King. Gilgamesh's expression warped upon hearing this name, dismissed Kirei, and went to meet this man in private.

Shisharo Kaname. Kirei had spent the early afternoon searching for this name and came out empty. But the day was still beginning and his informants from the Church would uncover something for him. They always did. He was once a remarkable Executor and still held a heavy weight in the Church's foundations.

"So soon?" Kirei asked. He did not know how Gilgamesh knew about the man's fate nor would he question it. There were some things he'd better not know.

The King of Heroes placed his unfinished wine flat on the middle table. He stood with a grace that transcended human possibility and walked with steps that could not be heard. He was, in essence, the perfect human crafted by the hands of the eldest and most powerful of gods.

"Oh yes," the demigod announced with a feral and mischievous grin. "And it seems a new one has taken his place. The dog bit off more than he could chew. But it's strange… If the mongrel could hear the voice then he should have headed its warning. We never go to our deaths. This intrigues me, Kirei!"

At first, Kirei thought his King was crazy. Mentally unstable, sinister, and apathetic to all things beneath him, sure, but he never figured the Golden King was positively bonkers. It had started to happen after he was reincarnated at the end of the Fourth War. The King would mention of some _voice_ whispering to him about everything happening within his kingdom. Kirei had thought it was some lingering residue from Angra Mainyu but found it to be something else entirely.

It was undeniable, as the years progressed, that there was _something_ talking to the King. Something that alerted him to the happenstance of everything around him. The King knew when someone was scheming against him, when someone was approaching the Church, and if there was someone or something of notable mention within Fuyuki.

But never did Gilgamesh share his findings. He never told Kirei what this voice was, rarely what it shared, or of the things he came across when traversing the globe. Nor did he share the importance of the man who visited today or of these _others_ he mentioned throughout the years.

It felt like Gilgamesh had joined some exclusive secret club and neglected to invite Kirei. If he had a heart he would have sobbed a tear. And he thought they were friends…

"Will I need to worry about damages?" Kirei asked before his King left the office.

"Perhaps," Gilgamesh reclined his head as he brushed a stray lock out of his face. "If this dog is wild then I will need to break it in. If it is some wolfhound… then it'd be best I put it down before it goes back to the wild. Either way, it's a dog that needs to learn its place."

Without another word, the King of Heroes excused himself.

0-0-0

Ludwig von Siegfried was on the same uncharted island he used when training his Knights of the Round. It housed the most dangerous of beasts and the most untamed of vegetation, a fitting place to harden the soft Brits into hardened survival experts. This island was used as a rite of passage in order to be inducted into the Round. Less than ten percent of the Britain's finest passed.

But Ludwig wasn't here for any of that.

He was here because this was the most vacant place he could think of. The furthest away from civilization and, especially, furthest away from his beloved queen.

It had been in the darkest hour when he got out of bed, gathered his things, and fled. There was no hesitation in his movements. He told no one where he was going or for what reason. He personally piloted the plane, set it on auto, and leapt off when it was at the appropriate height for a safe parachute.

He didn't even tell his Queen goodbye. She may never know what would befall on him.

Alaya had warned him on that eve. But its voice was so… quiet. So difficult to hear. And no matter how hard Ludwig tried to listen he couldn't make out the barest of whispers. Its single warning was the last thing he heard before silence was his only companion.

 _The Beast comes for you._

The Predator of Predators was coming for him. For eons it has left the champions of Alaya alone. There was a silent understanding that the incarnation of Gaia and the champions of humanity would never disturb the other. But, come the Industrial Revolution, it began to appear more often. A white beast that moved faster than the human eye could perceive. Even with the advancement of technology could no camera capture its movements. This thing was a phantom.

It was to be his death, he knew. He didn't need to hear Alaya to know this thing was beyond his capabilities. And he would need the voice of Alaya guiding him in order to survive against the Beast. But, the older he got, the voice has started to quiet down. And the newer generation of Predators could scarcely hear the voice of Humanity. The most recent, the King of Heroes, could hear a whisper every so often.

It was as though Alaya had abandoned them…

Had he more time then he would have alerted the others of his kind. He would have sent a cry for help. Together they would have overpowered the creature as their predecessors had countless times. But alone, isolated, and without the means to flee, Ludwig was stranded.

The best he could do was limit the damage. This was to be his last stand.

A fitting end for a Reincarnated Hero who would be celebrating his ninetieth birthday this coming spring.

Now, as he stood at the beach with his Gram Mk VII in one hand and his Circuits flaring, he watched the last sunrise he would ever see.

And there, hiding in the light of the rising sun, was the Beast. Coming for him.

 **"Do you know who I am?"** he spoke in a voice of power, fueled by the cognitive essence of the World.

His Circuits hummed. Specks of diamond dust appeared through his mystery, soaking in the rays of the sun, and clotted to his skin. As his personal magic came through soaking in the rays of the moonlight, these crystals would soak in sunlight, dilute it, and convert it into moonlight. In essence, he had an infinite supply of prana so long as he never lost concentration.

More crystal dust appeared. They joined together, forming spikes and blades of every kind, floating around his vicinity with every edge pointed directly at the Beast.

His Mystic Code, infused with his mystery and channeled his Sorcery, spun to life. The cane he carried always blasted into a trillion microscopic fragments, cycling around in a vortex at a supersonic speed. This was Gram MK VII, a Mystic Code capable of matching blows with the greatest of Noble Phantasms that had tasted the blood of Gaia's most formidable of Effigies.

He had a means to slay the Beast if he so desired. If he used _that_ instead of Gram he could have killed the Beast in one stroke. But he couldn't.

To kill the Beast meant to kill Gaia. And to kill Gaia meant to end all life on the planet. Humanity cannot thrive without the existence of Gaia before the Evensong. The Promised Time was yet.

And so he stood, weapon raised and magic crackling through the air. He pointed his invisible blade at the Beast who was but seconds upon him. He could not kill Gaia. Nor would he be able to flee from its grasp. It would forever hunt him until his blood soaked its talons.

 **"I am Ludwig von Siegfried,"** his voice sang the last words he would ever speak. **"Second Predator, the Dragon Slayer! I leave my mark upon you, Mother of Monsters!"**

The world was enveloped in crystal missiles that detonated devastating concussions that reshaped the territory. The ocean before him was split, reshaped into a valley of crystal, and cocooning the Beast in a prison of crystalized moonlight.

Not a second passed. Not a single instant paused as the Beast broke free without restriction. It tore through his prison without a single wound on its hide.

Ludwig lifted his weapon to meet the first claw coming for him.

0-0-0

"You're not going to tell Fuji-nee, are you?" Shirou asked as soon as things were settled.

Fujimura Raiga rarely worked on the field after he became the head of his little gang. And ever since his rule he had been clean… most of the time. So far every dirty deed had been by the cause of the Emiya household. At first it had been just Kiritsugu asking for favors. But now this was the second time Shirou had gotten involved with the unsavory side of the world.

Case and point. He had called the old man and asked if he could get a group to come by and remove a body from his yard. Raiga ordered his usual clean-up crew and decided to pay the boy a visit personally. Obviously he couldn't come at the same time as the _carpet cleaners_ and so decided to come an hour afterwards with a few sweets in tow.

"Why don't you tell me what happened?" asked Raiga instead.

The boy nodded after eating one of the cookies Raiga brought. "I was there, sitting on the porch where Kiritsugu and I used to. The man arrived and asked for Dad. I told him Dad was dead and so he told me I was going to come with him. He promised nothing bad would happen to me. I took it as him trying to kidnap me."

"…And you killed him," Raiga stated rather than question. Shirou didn't respond, didn't blink, didn't move in the slightest at the words. Raiga always knew there was very little that could move Shirou. But to kill without going into shock…? Even Raiga had never been the same after his first kill. "It's good you called me instead of the police. I will take care of things. Shirou, how are you?"

"Different," Shirou stated. His scanned around the room in search of something.

"Different how?" asked Raiga. Perhaps the boy was in shock after all and was doing exceptional in hiding it. He always carried this blank look liken to a doll.

Shirou tilted his head with his eyes downcast, no longer scanning the room but more so… listening for something. He had a familiar distant look whenever Raiga had heard his men whispering things behind his back. "It's… new. I don't know. I've never felt like this before."

Raiga let out a sigh of relief. This was good. It meant Shirou was relapsing over his actions. Taking another's life as furthest from sacred and it would have horrified him if Shirou had been as apathetic about it as he would with everything else. He couldn't help but reach over and pat the kid's head. He was barely thirteen and had taken a life. Only a year younger than when Raiga did himself.

"Don't fret over it," he assured. "You did what you needed. It was my fault for not taking better care of you. Kiritsugu and I always knew one of his old marks might come looking for him. We did our best to hide his location but word always gets out. Hopefully this would be the last. I'll make round to make sure on that."

He would make calls to find out who this stranger was. Shirou mentioned something about a benefactor so the guy was hired help. A few calls and perhaps a few favors and Raiga should be able to pinpoint the origin of this stranger, this Shisharo Kaname.

Shisharo… it was a name that felt familiar but he couldn't quite place where he had heard it before. Something that was on the tip of his tongue…

"Will you tell Fuji-nee?" Shirou asked again.

"Do you want her to know?"

Shirou paused, tilted his head while his eyes looked up towards the ceiling. Raiga could almost see the boy weighing his options. And, for a moment, Shirou tilted his head further as though someone were whispering into his ear. He was thinking further into the idea.

"No, it's better she doesn't know," was his final conclusion.

"Then this will be our secret," Raiga agreed. While he hated keeping secrets from his adorable (if not handful) daughter, he understood the necessity of it. This was Shirou's affair and he handled it responsibly like a grown adult. Raiga respected his decision.

Actually… the responsible thing to do would be to call the police, not the leader of the city's main Yakuza. But that was beside the point.

"Would you do this old man the kindness of making some more tea?" Raiga asked. He decided to spend some more time with Shirou to make sure everything was fine. He might even stay for dinner. It had been a while since he shared a meal with his ward and his daughter, who he know would be freeloading off the boy yet again after her lessons.

Shirou returned to his blank persona, nodded, and moved through the clockwork motions of brewing tea.

While Shirou distracted himself with the kitchen, Raiga mused the story in his head. Without a doubt that assassin was a trained killer. He wore the appropriate gear, had the hands of a wetworker, and had chosen the perfect time to strike. Shirou had been alone with everyone in the neighborhood preoccupied with their own daily business. The street was cleared out and the Emiya residence was empty.

The assassin had studied the schedule and workings of everyone near the Emiya house.

There were holes in this story. Such as how Shirou was able to take out an experienced killer. With a sword, based on the wounds left on the assailant. And where did he get a sword in the first place? Taiga wasn't _that_ irresponsible to purchase him something like that and the strict laws would forbid any store from allowing Shirou to purchase it himself. And he couldn't have acquired it illegally otherwise it would have gone through Raiga's sources.

"Raiga-ji," Shirou returned to place a fresh brew of tea in front of the older man. "I need to step out for a bit. Can you watch the house for me?"

"What's wrong?" asked Raiga. "Do you need something?"

Shirou was hardly paying attention to him. His stare was locked towards the sliding door that would lead back out to the gardens. "I'm… going to meet with someone."

He didn't say anything else nor would he wait for Raiga's response. He simply walked away.

Raiga took a brief moment to take a drink of his tea. Oh how he wished his brew master could take a lesson from the kid. This tea was better than the herbal crap his specialist called healthy.

The moment passed. He got up and went straight for the phone.

"It's me," he said. The receiver had answered after the first ring. "You still outside? Good. The kid is stepping out. Keep an eye on him but make sure he doesn't see you."

0-0-0

Shirou walked down the street, listening to this new voice at the back of his head. A voice that was his own and yet _not_ his. A voice that sounded so familiar as though it had been a part of him since the time of his birth and yet so alien. But still he listened. Perhaps if he was a normal boy he would have found faults to distrust this new sensation. Instead, he found no reason to neither trust nor distrust it.

It was calling out to him, telling him to follow the sound of a second voice echoing throughout the town. This second voice had come out of nowhere and had told him the originator of the voice was coming for him. A sort of declaration or self-invite, he supposed.

The voice in his head was warning him about danger. The one coming for him was dangerous. _Very_ dangerous and of the same league as Shisharo Kaname. Though Shirou had done quick work with the man with the bladed mysteries, this new threat could not be so easily dealt with. They may have been of the same league, and Kaname was no challenge whatsoever after perfecting the man's sword techniques, but it couldn't be excused they were two separate threats.

This new thing coming for Shirou was a different kind of threat. He could never explain it but he knew this thing could crush Kaname just as easily as Shirou had. Kaname may be a god with the blade, but this thing could overcome the mystic swordsman's technique with raw power.

Something like this couldn't be met with the same methods as with Kaname. Simple sword techniques wouldn't be enough. And, the voice told him, Raiga would be put in danger if Shirou allowed this presence to approach his home.

So Shirou left and moved towards the second voice instead of waiting for its arrival. He went down the street, crossed over the bridge, and came across the shriveled mess of a park. The walk had taken him close to an hour.

He looked around. Something in his core shivered by being here. He knew where this was. This was the land that had been consumed through the Fuyuki Fire. It was where Kiritsugu had found him and had been his earliest of memories. The city had never recovered from the catastrophe. They made the land into a park with a memorial placed somewhere around here. There was even a playground for children to play on.

But no one dared to come through here. The land was tainted with something wicked. Even someone as ungifted in magic as Shirou knew this place was… _wrong._

This was where he stopped walking. The voice in his head told him this was the best place to meet with the new stranger. And rather than meet him at home, the new presence had changed direction to confront him. The second echo had noticed his presence and was approaching him.

Shirou didn't have to wait long. Ten minutes at best.

"Hoh…?" mused the golden figure approaching him. A young man with golden hair, porcelain skin, and beaming red eyes. He was dressed in fine silks and leather of signature fashion. He carried himself with an inhuman grace no dancer could walk and a stature any model would murder for.

Of course, to Shirou, all he saw was another person. His eyes absorbed every detail about the man's expression and gestures.

His smile was simply divine. Perfect teeth and not a single wrinkle. "Certainly an exotic creature. I will admit I wasn't expecting an Ultimate Killer to be so… young."

Shirou said nothing, only to keep staring at the new figure and soaking in his presence.

"You insult me," the golden man said. He cocked his head back while placing one hand on his hip. "But as you are young and ignorant of your surroundings I will forgive this slight. When you have become one of us, you should have come directly to your King instead of idling about. And you dare to stop here and make me come to you? A servant who doesn't know his place would normally be whipped."

Shirou listened to every word. But while he did, most of his attention was locked on the golden man's expressions. The way he flaunted about, the way he swayed his hands in graceful fluent motions, the way his face twisted into a smiling sneer, and the way he continued to cock his head back so to further look down on the boy. He recorded all of these things into his head.

"King?" questioned Shirou.

"Yes, I am your King. Everything you see is my territory," he spread his arms about so to emphasize his words. "The world is mine and you are only here because I permit it."

"…Who decided this?" Shirou asked.

The smile dropped but there was still a look of amusement coming from the King. "I did."

"Why?"

"Because I am the strongest," was his answer. "Because the world was mine from the very beginning. All of its people, all of their treasures, everything on this planet has always been mine."

Seeing as how nothing about this man would change, Shirou finally considered his words. He was King. He was declared Strongest. Shirou mulled this over, assessed the man's presence, and listened to the voice in his head.

"No, you're not."

The golden man's face dropped into a stony look. His eyes narrowed into a sharp gaze. "That's quite the bold statement, lowborn. An attempt at a jest? No, you lack the thing most vital to attempt any humor. Tell me, why do you deny the existence of your King?"

Once again, Shirou observed the man's reaction and took everything given. He opened his mouth and gave his reply, more curious to see the King's reaction instead of disturbed by the inner voice's cry to not say these words.

"Because we're equals."

Shirou's hand moved before his mind could register what would transfix. All he saw was a ripple of gold and a streak of silver coming at him faster than a bullet. The back of his hand met with the silver missile. The impact knocked him off his feet and to lie flat on his back.

His arm was an absolute wreck. The bone was split into several splints with a few protruding out of his flesh. The skin that had deflected the missile was ripped clean off his hand with his knuckles shattered into dust. He hardly felt the pain, oddly enough. His mind only registered the damage to his arm with an uncomfortable sensation coming from his arm— the only indication other than the lack of mobility something was wrong.

But none of his attention was on his ruined arm. In fact, he hardly acknowledged the crippling wound. It was but a second thought.

All of his attention was locked on the projectile the King had fired at him from seemingly nowhere. The silver streak had landed a few meters to the side after his hand had budged the instrument just enough to avoid a fatality.

It was a weapon. A sword. A scimitar made out of ivory through a method long lost through time. It had been crafted by a whitesmith, offered to his godking and warlord, and was then taken by the one rightful king. Though it was nothing in comparison to the finer of treasures, this was still a weapon of legend. A Noble Phantasm. A crystallization of a concept, of a legend, a weaponized myth made real. By all means this weapon would have killed Shirou without resistance had he been a regular boy.

This was one of the countless treasures of Gilgamesh, the Babylonian King of Uruk.

It dissolved into golden motes of light as the King called it back into his treasury.

"Such blasphemy is punishable by death, mongrel," the King of Heroes snarled. "You _dare_ to lay claim to be my equal? There was but one who could stand beside me and you are _not_ him—"

"You're using it wrong."

The humor was gone from Gilgamesh. His eyes flared with anger and murderous intent. An oppressive sensation consumed the area as his ire rose. "Lowborn dog, I wash my hands of you. I thought to honor you and have you serve me well. But I see you are beyond training. Be gone."

Another Noble Phantasm fired out of the Gates of Babylon. Another nameless weapon of a forgotten legend. A spear made of a tail from the scorpion people.

This was successfully deflected.

Shirou's arm had been a blur as he brought it around. The scorpion spear was knocked aside with impossible speed and strength. The weapon flew at him faster than a bullet with enough force to leave a crater into the ground. And yet the boy had been able to deflect it as though it were a mere labor.

In his hand was the ivory scimitar.

Gilgamesh's eyes widened at the sight of it. His appraising eyes that could understand the worth of any treasure on the globe read into the quality of craft into the blade. And, dare he say, the blade in the boy's hands was _greater_ than the one he had previously used.

The blade was made of the same bone of an ancient beast, but it was as though the beast had been superior to its original self. The edge was sharper, the blade denser, the curve more efficient, the handle comfortable with a better grip.

The Noble Phantasm wasn't a mere forgery of his treasure. This plagiary was _superior._

"…Thief," Gilgamesh's eyes flashed with an unholy rage. The air around him rippled as a wall of treasures appeared at his command. They were of the least value, but still immaculate creations above and beyond the worth of anything humanity could currently create. " _Faker._ How dare you take what rightfully belongs only to the One True King! How dare you insult me by claiming yours is superior! The punishment for this crime is **death**!"

Shirou stared. Not at the golden man but at the wall of silver gleaming behind him. His eyes flickered around, capturing every sword, every spear, every blade protruding out of space. They were beautiful, of that there was no denying, even to one as oblivious to the concept of beauty to a hollowed existence such as his.

But they were flawed.

He knew where their creation when wrong. He knew where their maintenance went wrong. He knew where their use went wrong. He knew where their _existence_ went wrong.

All the more, he knew how this golden man wasn't using them correctly.

"You're not using that right," he said.

"…Die," Gilgamesh sighed, dismissing the boy's existence from reality. And as it is declared by the King, so must it be.

A barrage of silver fired out of the Gates faster than any bullet. There was a fragment of a second as they crossed the distance to reach the target of their King.

Shirou moved, forgetting the bone scimitar entirely as his hands brought forth a pair of swords. The scimitar faded into nothingness without a trace of it ever existing. In his hands was a sword forged from the blood of a desert beast and in the other a wooden spear with a spade made of iron. Though these two weapons mirrored the ones coming right for him in the first wave, there was something transcendently different such as night and day.

The ones in Shirou's hands were _perfect._ There was no flaw in their creation. There was no flaw in their handling. There was no flaw in the way he swung them around at the perfect angle and at the perfect position for utmost efficiency. Both weapons were superior to their original selves.

His knocked the King's weapons aside.

However…

His mind processing, the voice screaming at him to run when instead he chose to instruct the King in the art of blade-works, his hands dismissing the two weapons and using another set in each hand, perfecting their creation and perfecting their handling…

He failed to repel the onslaught of twenty more blades behind the first pair.

Spears, swords, arrows, daggers, pikes, all manner of weapons pierced through his skin with little resistance. His body did not recoil from the force, though the ground erupted from the concussion of the hail. Each blade dug into his flesh and impaled him to the floor.

Nerves and tendons cut, his two perfect weapons were dropped. Before they could touch the dirt did they simply… vanish. As though they were never there in the first place.

Shirou sagged forward but could not fall. The series of weapons impaling him kept him standing. He felt nothing; no pain in his death. The King had been thorough and skillful in his aim. Vital organs were pierced.

Such included the spear piercing through his right eye, penetrating the brain, and piercing out of the skull.

"Hmph," a sneer escaped the King's lips as he willed his treasures back into his armory.

With a flash of gold, the weapons disappeared. Shirou's body collapsed to the ground as gallons of blood gushed out of the wounds. His body was drained dry within seconds.

"Be grateful you were slain by my hand," the Golden King looked down at the mangled corpse such as how one would look at roadkill. Disgust was his visage. "You could have served me well. I'd have fed you until you were plump, dog, but instead you chose to bite my hand. Perhaps in death you will learn how to pay your respects to your betters."

The King mulled over his thoughts and took into consideration his own influence graced by Alaya. He would _never_ be one of Alaya's dogs, never, but he could never turn a deaf ear to the whisperings of Alaya. And, somedays, rarely, when he was feeling gracious enough, he would listen and permit Alaya a favor and rid the world of the monsters. Even he was not so arrogant to ignore the Will of Humanity. Only a foolish king would ignore the heeds of their advisor.

But right now… Alaya was being quiet. Alaya wasn't saying anything.

Which meant there was nothing to say, Gilgamesh mused.

Leaving the bloodied corpse of the most recent and late Predator littered on the ground, Gilgamesh began his stroll back towards the Church.

While it was his role as a King to issue commands onto his subjects and to enforce his rule, it was not his job to remove the filth.

Surely someone will come along and clean up this mess.

0-0-0

He wasn't dead. He was never truly alive in the first place. No, the human being that was once ***** ******** had died long ago in the Flames of Angra Mainyu. What remained now was a burnt out existence. What remained now was no longer human. What remained now was merely an idea, an aspect of a dream, a concept of progress, given shape and form and made corporeal.

He, now named Emiya Shirou, was fully aware of his surroundings despite his current condition. He was not in pain, though there was _something_ telling him of the damage his body had absorbed. Consciousness may have been out of his reach but Shirou was still made _aware._ He could not perceive the physical world as he would when awake, but things were so clear to him in a new manner he couldn't explain.

It was the voice, he realized. No, not really a voice. It was more liken to a recollection of knowledge from within the deepest reaches of his mind rather than a voice speaking to him. Information processed in his head, memories surfaced, and thoughts cycled.

But all this wisdom came from the present and future. Shirou knew everything happening around him and knew what would happen as if they already did. He could not have memories of the future.

All of this happened when he picked up the blade that was _Fuyu no Kishi,_ the katana of Shisharo Kaname. All of this happened when he learned of the technique that could sever Law; that could ideally cut _anything._

All of this happened when he stole the skill of a Predator. No, not steal. He revaluated it. He remade it. He broke it down, plucked out all of its flaws, and made it _better._

It was how he was able to kill Kaname.

The knowledge had guided him, had told him how to fight Kaname, how the man would move and what was the best method to counter him. It told him when to block, when to counter, when to charge, when to dodge. This guidance combined with his perfect control over the blade had overwhelmed Kaname.

Shirou didn't understand it. Perhaps if he was normal and could produce the same thoughts and emotions of a normal human being he would be… frightened? Would he be frightened? Was that the appropriate response to this situation…?

Well, Shirou thought nothing of it. He simply accepted this newfound potential and moved on.

He knew the instant when the Golden King would approach him. He knew the Golden King would come to his house and he knew what how he should prepare for his arrival. Instead, he went to confront the King under his conditions, recalling the little things Kiritsugu had tried to teach him in regards to human preservation. On how to save people.

Shirou knew he was being followed. And he also knew the Golden King had struck down Raiga's employee before Shirou could do anything about it. But he couldn't understand why.

The information filtering in his head had told him his chances of survival were slim. Of how he was susceptible to damage in his current condition. They told him he had little to no chance of overcoming this. Even with the newfound revelation of blades appearing into his arsenal Shirou could never hope to defeat the King of Heroes.

But, something deep within his core made him defy this King. This _collector._ A mere collector took care of his treasures and _never_ used them for their intended purpose. It bothered him. An inch he could not scratch sent shivered throughout his body at seeing the white scimitar thrown at him as though it were nothing more than a flying _rock._

He chose to defy the King and to show him how to use this blade.

And he defied his own survival instincts to do it.

Here Shirou was, a pile of mesh and blood.

But he was not dead. One cannot be dead if they were never alive, truly. This boy, if he could still be called that, had been melted by the Flames of the God of Sin and Evil. In the outcome, he had become something… new.

Both his origin and his intended purpose had been scorched. They had melted together into one being. To merge into one being without separation or classification.

He was once an Incarnation— an idea and natural reaction processed by the planet. But not of Gaia, no. He had been an Incarnation of Alaya. He once bore the aspect of Sword. And yet, he had once been human. He was once a human child who carried the aspect of Alaya within him. He would have grown into a skillful wielder of blades, could harmonize with them, and could use his human heritage to progress humanity further with his gift.

Instead, both Sword and Humanity had been melted down, had cooled, and had made into one.

All that remained was…

 _Shck, shhck, shhhhhhck!_

A finger twitched. A hand with severed tendons dug into the ground. The sound of grinding metal screeched as the hand moved.

How inefficient, something within Emiya Shirou's mindscape said unto itself. This body was inefficient. It was flimsy. Weak. So easily broken.

A blade must be capable of withstanding the burdens of its purpose. It must be able to withstand. A blade does not bend or break over something so trivial.

And if it does, then it must be made _better._ If it shatters, its metal must be hardened. If it breaks, it must be refolded again. If it is blunt, it must be sharpened.

 _Shhhck, shhhhhhhck, shck-shck-shhhhhck!_

Blades folded over the hand. Blades, smaller than anything humanly possible to create, overlapped another, wove together, and worked as one. They replicated the intricate patterns of tendons, of muscles, of skin, of bone.

A hand of silver was made.

Emiya Shirou was made aware of what transpired to his body. He was made aware of the whereabouts of the Golden King and made aware of the people looking for him. He did not know how much time had come and went, however. More than enough if people were searching for him. Hours? Days?

He was also made aware of the thing within his core. Of how it worked to return the flesh even as its master was not present. It shouldn't have worked, but still it obeyed to his will as though he was its master. It was no blade… but there was still something intimate about it. It was of blade-shape but not an instrument. And yet… he was drawn to it such as how he had been naturally drawn towards Kiritsugu.

A sheath.

It was a protector of blades. To conceal the instrument in times of peace and rest. Yes, to preserve the efficiency of the instrument.

It did not obey his command— there was no need. It… listened to his desires. It came to his aid willingly of its own accord.

Knits of blades dressed the wounds while this construct of protection, this creation named Avalon, transfigured the blades into flesh.

0-0-0

He wasn't surprised to climb out of this dreamlike awareness of his surroundings and into _actual_ awareness so soon. He had been shot in the chest and was told he would be under for a few days, only to come out within but a few hours. In this case, he wasn't surprised to find himself in a hospital ward either.

Well, he can't recall a time in which he had ever been surprised. He had ample time to study the appropriate reactions from Taiga, however.

He once tried 'flipping out'. Apparently he didn't do it right because both Taiga and Otoko applauded him, literally, doing a flip.

Once again he found himself in a tedious position. Within a few minutes after he had stirred awake was he bombarded with a heavily sobbing Taiga that lunged at him from within the hallway. It was as if she had suddenly sensed his coming about.

The voice, _whatever_ it actually was, had warned him beforehand. Not that he needed it. He could have heard Taiga's rampaging footsteps.

After that was something of a routine, he noticed. Otoko was right behind Taiga, had pried her free of him through another mighty bout and triumph, and had taken her share of asphyxiating him between her breasts. He found he could hold his breath for an impossible amount of time… or didn't need to breathe in the first place.

Ayako had been there as well, trying to hold back the tears while she badgered him about making her worry. In her shadow was Sakura, which made his head tilt in something liken to… surprise? Curiosity? Whichever of those two he was supposed to be feeling and falling short. In any case, Sakura had been just as worried for him and looked ready to cry more than anyone.

With the peace disturbed, the almost comical repetition of the previous events played out. The nurse came in to kick everyone out for making too much noise and harassing the patient (Shirou) while his injuries were still tender. Then came in the doctor to run a few tests. Then came the police officers to ask him questions on how he was injured and if anyone had done anything to him. And then came the doctor _again_ to run another set of tests.

He told the truth. He told everyone of the golden man who assaulted him with Noble Phantasms after their argument of positions. No one believed him. They chalked it off delusions from his traumatic assault and would investigate further on their own.

It was not his friends or his guardian who reentered once everything was completed. It was Fujimura Raiga who entered. He shut the door behind him and slowly approached one of the seats near the bedside. He took his time taking his seat and getting himself comfortable.

A cold gaze glared at Shirou by the time he was acquainted.

"Why don't you tell me what happened?" he demanded in a calm voice that defied his expression. It baffled Shirou. "They found you drenched in blood with your clothes shredded. Not a scratch on your body, mind you. One of my men was found that way. Except, he was filled with holes."

He had no reason to lie to Raiga. Nor could he pull off the appropriate expressions and gestures to weave a conceivable lie. He retold his story about the Golden King just as he did for the officers and his visitors.

For a while, Raiga didn't move. His aged and scarred face was locked in a dark expression.

"What made you leave the house?" Raiga asked next.

This time, Shirou had a little more difficulty answering. The officers had asked a similar question, asking him why he was alone, and he had replied with he was going to meet with the Golden King. They didn't believe him and moved the interview to the next topic. But Raiga asked a similar question with a different resolution.

"I knew he was coming for me," he shared. "I didn't want you hurt."

Again, Raiga was quiet.

"Was this… golden man related to Shisharo Kaname?"

"…He was one of us. And he said he was our King."

"One of us…?" Raiga questioned.

Shirou didn't answer. He had no answer to give because he knew just as much as Raiga.

"You are an impossible child," Raiga sighed. Shirou wasn't sure what the man read into his blank face, if anything at all. "I don't know what happened, Shirou-kun. Emiya-san has entrusted me with your safety and that's a promise I don't take lightly. Whatever's after you because of Emiya-san… I will protect you from them."

Raiga was quiet for the last time as he thought about something in his head. With a nod, he groaned as he rose out of his seat. Before leaving, he patted Shirou's head, a rare form of affection from someone as hardened as Raiga. Though he spoiled Taiga rotten, he rarely showed any physical affection.

The door shut and Shirou was left to himself.

He wished he had a mirror. He had witnessed some new expressions he wanted to replicate. But they were branded into his memory and he would emulate them once a mirror presented itself. He couldn't wait to return home.

Instead, he sat still in this isolated room. Without blinking. Without breathing. He was as still as a statue without the need to project human emotion without human interaction.

But still, this constant awareness of his proximity notified him to all the happenstance within the hospital complex. Within the district.

Within all of Fuyuki.

It was dark by the time he stirred out of this stasis.

The Golden King was coming for him.

0-0-0

"Couldn't you have made something better instead?" Shinji complained about tonight's dinner. "I'm tired of beef curry. It's all you ever make since you brought the recipe from _Emiya's_ house!"

"…I'm sorry, nii-san," the monotone and quiet voice belonging to Matou Sakura was barely above a whisper. As soon as Shirou's ward had escorted her safely home, Sakura let the façade drop. Her eyes had gone dead and her body went into its routine work. Grandfather had been generous enough to allow her time out of the house so long as it didn't disrupt her schedule with… _training._

"You went to see him, didn't you?" snarled Shinji out of frustration. "Fuck. It's _always_ about Emiya with you lately."

"Now, now, grandson," a voice as soothing as rotting flesh and wriggling worms came from the shadows directly behind Shinji. "Is that any way to treat your sister?"

Both children of the Matou manor froze. Shinji whimpered and nearly released his bowels. Even Sakura's eyes widened in fear of this creature appearing.

"G-Grandfather," the only emotion Sakura could truly feel escaped her tone— fear. Sheer and utter terror for the creature masquerading as an elderly man. "I did not know you were… having dinner… with us…"

"Hoh…?" a toothy smile stretched his cracking lips as the beady eyes of Matou Zouken peered at the plum-haired girl. "How chaste would it be for me to not spend time with my dear grandchildren…? For shame, Sakura. Am I not a loving and nurturing grandfather?"

She couldn't answer. He didn't expect an answer anyways and released a series of acidic hacks that should have been laughter.

The ancient Magus that was Zouken slithered with an inhuman grace that defied his aging and rotten body. He moved such as how a centipede would crawl on its hundred legs. He limped, he slouched, and he wobbled on his cane, but he moved in such a way no human could have.

He released a weary groan when he took his seat across of Shinji at the long table. His blackened eyes ignored the incompetent _failure_ as they continued to observe Sakura. "Tell me child, how fairs the Emiya boy? I hear he was recently hospitalized. I hope his injuries were not too… crippling."

Matou Zouken had some genuine interest in the boy of Kiritsugu. Some. The boy was as much of a failure of a Magus as his grandson but that hadn't been the point of his intrigue. While the boy may not have the Magic Circuits required to be a Magus, he still had something within him that the Makiri line had in short supply.

The boy had a zesty sum of Od, of prana developed by his body. Every being produced this magical essence but his worms detected an impressive quantity _and_ quality in his production.

That alone didn't make him anything special. No. But it did make Zouken think about the better future.

This boy could be a replacement for Shinji in Sakura's training. And if so, then finally the old Magus could get rid of this freeloading waste of sperm. All the better if Sakura had some interest of her own in the Emiya child.

But this wouldn't be the first time Zouken had heard the boy had put himself in danger. Sakura had mentioned a few events in which the Emiya child was self-destructive. This would be the second time in which the boy had been hospitalized. All within the same year, at that. If this were to be a reoccurring thing then Zouken would either have to advance his plans or drop them entirely.

"…S-Sempai is fine," Sakura shared with a bowed head and averted eyes. She hadn't the courage to look at the monster _pretending_ to care about her, however she knew better and so spoke clearly and courteously. "His injuries were minor. He… He should be out of the hospital soon…"

"What a reckless child," Zouken cackled. "Tell me, what brought him there?"

It was a mere whim to ask this question. A curiosity he would normally ignore. But he chose to ask this anyways more so to humor the notion of him being a tender grandfather. It was nothing more than a drama to him. A piece of entertainment as he watched his grandchildren squirm.

"He… He said he was attacked by…"

 _A Golden King._

No. It was impossible. And yet… Zouken knew full well of the conclusion of the Fourth War. He knew of the reincarnated Servant. That was but five years ago and Zouken had heard nothing about that Servant since then. But there was no mistaking his identity. This ample description was no mere coincidence.

What could have stirred the King of Uruk out of his cove? What could have made the once ruler of the world to strike down a mere boy? Had it been an unfortunate event in which the boy had been at a wrong place at the wrong time? Had it been by a mere whim?

What's more, how did the boy _survive_?

Zouken mastered his emotions and pressed further without needing to shift his expression in the slightest. "Is that so? Why don't you tell me what he told you?"

0-0-0

Everyone had left with Raiga leaving a few of his men to keep watch on Shirou. They were some of the burliest men of the gang and two of Raiga's most experienced… garbage men. There Raiga went again talking about 'taking out the trash' when that wasn't what he did for a living. Shirou never understood what the man meant by this obvious lie. Wasn't that the point of lies? To deceive people?

It was late in the hour, past visiting hours and yet Raiga had managed to convince the staff to permit his goons to watch the hallways where Shirou slept. Or should have been sleeping. But how could he have slept knowing Death was coming for him?

Though the clinic was always open for emergencies and the occasional straggler who injured himself, most of the staff had gone home and the hallways were cleared out.

The golden man had entered through the main entrance, his presence like a vibrant sun protruding its own brilliance and announcing his arrival for all to see. Or, to better define the situation, to alert Shirou he had come for him.

No one stopped him. No one paid him any attention. The golden man walked by staff and security despite his grand and obnoxious presence unhindered. It was as though he were but a phantom for only Shirou to perceive.

Shirou got out of bed and went for the door, seeking to confront this golden man for the second time.

"Oi, Emiya-chan, somethin' you need?" asked one of his… bodyguards.

"Ya, if you want'ta drink or something, just ask. Banjou or I will get if for yeah," replied the other.

"Fuji-dono will be upset if he finds you've been outta bed."

Shirou paid them as little mind as he possibly could. There was no point in observing their expressions simply because he already knew their habits would be frowned upon by society. Nor would they good for conversation either what with the heavy slang they spoke. But they were still employees of Raiga. He took some consideration into their wellbeing.

"You should leave," the boy said. "He's coming."

The two men looked at another, more so slow to realize what he had meant rather than puzzled. They were more muscle than brain.

In the meantime, the golden man had quickly arrived at this floor. He strolled out of the elevator with his hands in his pockets and in a leisurely pace. Now that he was this close Shirou could almost perceive the casual, if not smug, expression on the King's face. His presence was drawing nearer.

"Never mind," Shirou turned away from them and began to walk down the hallway. "He's here."

"Oi, oi, oi, hold on now!" one of the men put a hand on his shoulder to stop him. "Where do you think you're goin'? Fuji-dono said—"

There hadn't been any warning. The voice or knowledge guiding Shirou had said nothing in this instance. There was only a streak of silver and then… blood.

Before either of the men knew what happened, both their skulls had been impaled by a matching set of knives. The force of each projectile had been swift enough to cleave cleanly through them and throw their bodies back.

Had Shirou known about the prior attack he would have deflected them. Though he cared not for the men individually, it was still branded into him by Kiritsugu on preservation of the human body. To be a hero and to save people.

As he watched their bodies collapse to the floor with puddles of blood and chunks of grey matter seeping out of their shattered heads, Shirou had pondered what he should be feeling in this instance. Fear? Dread? Sorrow? Disgust? Those were the sort of expressions he had seen on television in horror movies— the closest comparable situation he could think of— but he never practiced them in front of a mirror. Nothing stirred within his core at the sight of death.

It didn't bother him that they were dead. He accepted it and went to face the King.

"You're beginning to become a real nuisance," said the golden man as he stepped closer. There was an amulet around his neck with a ruby glowing dimly. With it on even Shirou had difficulty acknowledging the presence of this man. He might have even missed him entirely hadn't the thing at the back of his mind told him beforehand.

"When your King commands your execution, you are to obey and _die,_ " he snarled further. "Thrice now you've insulted me. But, this is a fault of mine own. It is as they say… Fool me once, shame on you; but fool me twice, shame on me."

"…What are we?" Shirou asked, ignoring the ramblings of this King.

Gilgamesh's brows crossed. He put a hand to his hip and tilted his head. "Hmph. Had you asked that before I may have felt obliged to answer you. But there are no last rights to a common thief. Only death."

Behind him, the wall of gold rippled as weapons of legend protruded out of space. These were not the nameless trinkets of vagabond warlords or heroes of mentionable tales. These were the regalia of great kings and gods alike. Blades blessed, cursed, forged of blood and steel pulsed with power.

Each one of them was a weapon that would tear flesh and keep life from recovering. They were weapons designed to negate all manner of mysteries to preserve life. No wound delivered from them would heal and some would render the flesh a rotting mess.

They were weapons the King would use to make sure Shirou remained dead.

Shirou knew of them. He knew of the legends. Each and every weapon was a prototype to the weapons of name and history. He knew of the heroes, villains, gods and demons who would one day wield them when the King's Treasure was scattered to all corners of the globe. He knew what each weapon represented and what they could do.

He also knew of their flaws, as he had before.

"You're not using them right," he couldn't help but share with a sharp tone. His brows had creased. He was… annoyed? What that what it felt like? Something within his core was bothering him at the sight of these instruments being treated so… carelessly.

He stepped forward with a sword in his hand. His bare feet clattered against the cold floor as he approached the Golden King.

Gilgamesh's eyes narrowed only slightly at the words. He had heard them before and he had grown weary of them. It was but more blasphemy from a mad dog to him. At this point, he was neither amused nor insulted at the claim. For he was _King._ It was by his decree on how he should use _his_ treasures.

His eyes locked on the sword in the boy's grip. A simple _plebian_ instrument of no worth whatsoever. Everything about it had been intended to be as insulting and worthless in its creation. Despite the boy's… gift to make all manner of weaponry exquisite, this sword in his hand wasn't worth a second glance by the King.

Shirou curled his fingers around the _Fuyu no Kishi._ A pedestrian blade made for a pedestrian man. Made out of mundane metals and abused in mundane scenarios.

"Die… mongrel," so commanded the King.

Shots fired. Streaks of silver distorted the air as constructions of unearthly nature launched at the boy. Each blade had its intended purpose. Every trajectory would be vital. Organs would be pierced and limbs would be hacked off. Even if he should dodge one or two the others would be there to take their place. Even if he were to block or deflect the first wave there will be others to overwhelm him. There was no getting around this onslaught.

With such a mundane weapon such as the _Fuyu no Kishi,_ it was impossible to compare to the greatness that were the Noble Phantasms. The white-hilted katana was furthest from legendary. Trying to oppose even the weakest of its superior breed would have it shattered.

As with the blade, so too was the man who wielded it. Shisharo Kaname was an ordinary man. He had no Magic Circuits nor was he blessed with the mysteries of his grand ancestry. He was not given the divine blood, having been the bastard of an affair. All he had was his wits, his skill, and his pride.

Kaname had developed a technique that should not have been. It was not a skill that surpassed any other. It was not faster, stronger, more cunning than its counterparts. It did not allow him to defeat monsters, the uniquely gifted, nor even any of his peers.

He did not need power or skill. Though a master of swordsmanship in his own league, there was something more to this technique. Or rather, to be more specific, there was **nothing**.

Because…

Shirou swung, replicating Kaname's skill and technique in a single stroke. The _Fuyu no Kishi_ swiped across the open air before the Noble Phantasms would be upon him. He hit nothing.

And **nothing** was sliced.

Noble Phantasms shattered into glass and dissolved into dust until they became nothing. The air became sterile as a streak of void left its scar on the realm of Gaia. The void collapsed, bringing all of space around it to close the gap. The walls around them crumbled, the tiled floor shattered, the lights went out. The entire building shook as this gap, no thicker than the edge of a sword, had demanded all of reality to _stretch_ in order to fill the hole it left.

 _Chtck!_

Gilgamesh's eyes widened as he felt the disturbance. There, behind him, was a golden crack floating upon empty space. It was no bigger than a hair and hardly visible. But it was there.

It was a crack on his Gates of Babylon. Something that had been impossible. The Gates were not actual physical doorways. They were temporal space that acted as a link to another dimension. No weapon save for his greatest treasure could pry open the doors.

And yet, there it was. The impossibility.

This was Kaname's technique. This was what put him at the ranks of the Predators, to make him one of Alaya's champions and a hero of humanity. It is what he used to slay anything and to defend himself against any opposition.

If he had placed his foot _like this._ If he had his fingers curled around the hilt _like this._ If he swung in _this_ exact angle at _this_ exact speed.

Kaname had, accidentally, discovered a hole within not just Gaia's logic. He had discovered a flaw in the omnipotent design of the Root of the World. The World records and analyzes all manner of information proceeding within its domain. There was an infinite number of possible situations with an infinite multitude of solutions to a single problem. The World knew this, knew of every outcome, and knew of each possibility.

But Kaname had, in a sense, performed a feat of actions blind to the World. And if it could not have been seen by the World, then it didn't exist for the World knew _all._

Therefore, a technique blind to the world did not exist. And, therefore, it could not cut anything existing because the technique did not exist in the first place.

Such was the nature of this _glitch._ This error in the coding of the World not even the World knew about. And such a glitch warranted the wrong attention.

For this technique invited the machinations of a virus the Root could not defend itself against.

Alas, the true origins and design of this act was ignorant to Shirou. The boy did not know anything about the greater cosmos or of the battle between existence and… _that which doesn't._ All he knew was something developed by Shisharo Kaname to be able to slay anything that came across his path.

Gilgamesh could not help but let a small grin escape his lips. He knew. He had come across _that which doesn't_ before many a time. Since his rule in Uruk as he traversed to Hades. And once more at the conclusion of the Fourth War.

"I've changed my mind," he said suddenly. "I grant you mercy. Be thankful, little pup, this King has permitted you to live further. Only out of my amusement. The moment you begin to bore me, I shall return and finish what has begun."

It was a shame he had lost several of his treasures. A few of them he loved dearly while the rest he adored simply because they were his. They were of higher value on the grand scale as well. He will miss them, and he almost wanted to execute the boy for _erasing_ his treasures from existence. But he was King and needed to exude his influence. He will… tolerate this slight. For now.

He thought about demanding the pedestrian blade out of tribute. The thought went as quick as it came. There was no reason to include something so plebian to enter his vault. Why, it was almost as blaspheme as a beggar dining with royalty.

"What will you do now, I wonder…?"

Shirou lowered the blade, but the… instinct, he decided to call it since it was both a voice and knowledge, it told him to keep his guard up against this higher being. "What are we?"

The King mulled over the question for a moment. He decided to throw the dog a bone.

"There is no 'you and I'. There is no we. _You_ are a dog of Alaya, a whelp used in the hunt to slay the enemies of humanity. _Predators._ Creatures of the apex order who stand above the lowborn. The mightiest of the human breed.

" **Do you know who I am?** " he asked with a voice of power.

The boy stiffened. His eyes sharpened at the notion of this presence. This indomitable and overwhelming aura permeating the hallway. No longer was this Golden King a man. He was a beast, a monster of unspeakable power in the shape of a human.

The King's voice echoed throughout the hall as he spoke through the authority of Alaya.

" **I am… a Predator. I am, the Sovereign.** "

With another smile, the presence dropped. Though the intoxicating aura of death vanished from the vicinity, the King's natural presence alone was still something grand to behold. There was still a thick weight to him. Having the influence of Alaya only added to it, such as placing a mantle around his shoulders while he wore his crown.

"Do you understand now?" grossed Gilgamesh as he swayed his hands around. "Do you see now why I am the One True King? Even the World acknowledges my authority. It's only fitting. Even without such a title I am, without a doubt, the rightful ruler of this realm."

The boy tried to speak. Tried to reach into his core and call upon the same authority the King exuded. It was there, deep within his heart of hearts, in the same spot where the instinct guided him. He could feel it churning by his will. He wanted to call for it.

" **I… I… I am…** "

But something blocked him from finishing the sentence. It was there. The words he wanted to say, the mantle of authority this being called Alaya had granted him, he wanted to share with the King on who he was.

Gilgamesh brought his head back and released a throaty roar of laughter. "The pup is trying to bark?! I don't know why Alaya chose you to be his wolfhound. But you must first let your fangs grow, little pup. Tell me, do you have what it takes to fulfill your duties and kill indiscriminately? To hunt? To dominate those who oppose you with crushing ferocity? You, who lack the bare basics of what it means to be human, how do you plan on being a champion of humanity?"

Shirou tilted his head as he answered, as though it were as plain as day and the most obvious of answers. "I'm going to be a hero of justice."

Another smile. "Of whose justice? Mine? Or yours?"

"…Of justice itself," he answered after a moment of consideration.

"I look forward to finding what sort of justice you arrive at," said the King. He brushed a few locks of stray hair out of his face and put his hands into his coat pocket. His posture was lax and his face was charming, but he was still furthest from harmless. He was still as deadly as could be. "I shall call upon you periodically. You will tell me of your learnings of this justice until you give me a satisfactory answer. Or until I grow weary of you and deliver the killing blow. Tell me, what is your name?"

"…Emiya Shirou."

Gilgamesh absorbed the name and recorded it to never forget. "There is no reason to give mine, am I right?"

Shirou shook his head. He knew the King's identity upon seeing his inventory.

The Golden King waved him off, dismissing him from his presence. But it was the King who turned and walked away. The hairline crack on his Gates had been mended. He walked briskly, with an impossible grace no mortal in this day and age could ever hope to replicate. He oozed dominance and authority even as he was leisure in his posture and with his back turned. Shirou knew if he tried to attack his back the King was more than prepared to defend himself, if not strike down Shirou for his folly.

As soon as the King had entered the elevator around the corner and gone down to the first floor, what mystery he had brought with him had vanished. The fire alarm went off suddenly with sprinklers spraying water everywhere. It soaked Shirou and filled puddles on the floor. The blood from earlier began to create swirls of red at his feet.

Someone would eventually come to check on the situation. Shirou wondered what would happen when he told the staff and police officers the truth. That the Golden King had returned. No doubt they wouldn't believe him and come to their own conclusion.

He wondered what Raiga would say after learning two of his best men were dead…

0-0-0

The Beast slept, recovering from its battle.

The one heralded as the Dragon Slayer had kept the Beast at bay for three hours. Three hours was a tremendous amount of time for any human to keep up with the greatest of Phantasmal Beasts. After all, this was no slouch. This was Gaia herself manifested into the physical realm so to better hunt her prey. The White Wolf, but a spawn of her power, was nothing in comparison.

And yet, the Dragon Slayer had been able to survive for so long. And he had kept his word and left his mark on her.

Her flesh had been torn asunder by his magic. Her bones crushed. Her fangs blunted. Her claws rubbed raw. A deep gash ran down her back and across her chest. The Dragon Slayer had been cunning and precise in his attacks. He listened to the wisdom of Alaya and struck where the Beast was weakest.

 _Weakest_ was the incorrect word. He struck where she was the least strong. For she was power itself.

Even the greatest of Alaya's champions could do little against her. Though these wounds hindered her movement, they were not permanent. They will heal and she will be moving again soon enough. All he had managed to do was prolong the inevitable.

In the end, the Dragon Slayer fell. He could have killed her, and Gaia knew this herself, but he chose not to. He was not foolish or self-destructive. He knew what it would have meant to use _that which doesn't_ against her. To kill the Beast would be to kill Gaia, and therefore would mean the end of the world.

Until the Evensong arrived, humanity needed Gaia to cradle them.

But she would not have that. Once she found the champions of Alaya will then she be at peace.

And so the Beast slept… dreaming of how she would kill her next prey.

Across the sea, the Divine Beast Predator turned to stare back at the Beast.


	3. Prologue 3

**AN: I understand when people ask me who some of my OCs are. But it hurts when people ask me who Otoko is...**

* * *

 **Prologue (Finale)**

 **Do you know who I am?**

Within the Middle East…

The barren desert wasteland miles and miles away from any civilization.

Saint Serene of Finland dragged her platoon of Executors and fellow Saints through this endless sea of white. All without mounts, without water, without proper covering.

But none of their skin blistered. They never thirst. Their journey had been suicidal in which they should have been dead within the first hour. And yet they had continued to walk on through this valley of hell unperturbed.

At her hip was a sword. A marvelously silver sword that reflected red in the light. But now, having traversed this deep into the desert, its edge was dyed a bloodied red. It had nothing to do with the light in this case. It had something to do with its properties as an instrument.

Its name was Creyroux. No one knew where it originated from. No one knew whether it was a Mystic Code, an Authority of their God, or a Noble Phantasm. It had appeared throughout all of history as an instrument of unfathomable worth. It had been wielded by the Holy Maiden Jeanne D'Arc when she led her crusade against the British. It had been in the hands of Julius Caesar when he overthrew the republic and made Rome into an empire. And it had been drawn by the Siege Perilous, Sir Galahad, to start his quest for the Holy Grail.

It had been in the hands of countless others. Heroes, champions, villains, and even the unworthy and unmentionable. Currently, this instrument was in the hands of Amelia Rosewood, better known and revered by the Catholic Church as Saint Serene of Finland.

Creyroux drank in the sins of all things around it. She had been born with this blade and used it to conduct 'miracles'. She healed the sick, the wounded, the crippled, the hungry, and even the deceased. Simultaneously, she could inflict the sins of all the things she absorbed onto any of the Church's enemies threefold. Always three.

God had some strange fetish for the number three. Let it be known Amelia was anything but religious. She didn't need to be in order to be doctrine a Saint.

But it was _her_ personal fetish to spit in the Lord's face. Preparations had been made in haste due to the emergency. No one had noticed there were three groups of five Executors being led by three Saints. In short, there were three groups of six.

Her joke— though it had been intended to be more of an insult than a jest— had not been taken lightly.

Not that it mattered in the end. They had all come here fully aware they were going to die. But try they would to face the worst spawn the planet could throw at them.

Their plan was to bombard the Beast with as much carnage within their arsenal. The priests would keep the Beast at bay, using their own bodies as shields, while Amelia drank in their sin. And she, in turn, would unleash as much sin upon the Beast as Creyroux could channel. It was why they exposed their selves to the trials and elements of the worst possible desert imaginable.

"It comes," she said. They had hoped to march further, to let Creyroux drink more sin.

From halfway across the globe she felt the Beast stir out of its slumber. She felt it gradually awaken, rise at its full height, and shake the weariness of the dreamscape out of its mind. It only needed an instant to bring itself to the full might of its power.

It was at its peak. The wounds dear Sir Siegfried had inflicted on it were gone. There was nothing left to hinder the Beast from hunting its prey.

Then, it moved.

She almost lost sight of it. Her senses scanned the entire globe forward and back, demanding the attention of Alaya to answer her. She found the Beast, piercing through the air and gliding across the ocean. It was the wind itself as it slipped into the elements.

The priests scrambled into positions; Amelia pointing in which direction the Beast would arrive at. Formations were made with Executors at the front and Saints at the back. Amelia placed herself at the core of the three groups with Creyroux drawn.

Her heart was pounding. For the first time in her life her heart raced against her will. A primal feeling stirred within her soul. Not even in the hell of her slavery as a child did she feel something so… hopeless.

It took only a few minutes for the Beast to cross the ocean. And it moved faster than Alaya could keep up. Alaya could not keep a locked position on the Beast and could only tell Amelia at which pinpoint location it passed.

God Almighty, she cursed. The Beast had crossed half the globe in less than ten minutes!

Of course it could. It was _Gaia Herself._ This planet wasn't just its territory. This planet was its own body. Of course it could ignore the terrestrial boundaries and physical limitations the viruses that was humanity had to endure.

She did not need Alaya to tell her how near the Beast was.

There was only an instant. There, in the sand, she spotted a fin. The Beast was swimming through the sea like a shark prowling for a school of mackerels.

The first group of Executors didn't have a chance to scream. The other two groups did not have the chance to realize the Beast had arrived. Its claws moved; flesh parted and bone snapped with such damnable ease the idea alone should not have been conceivable. The only indication of their doom was a sudden eruption of red mist. Eleven of the fifteen Executors were dead and even the most experienced of them had yet to realize the Beast had arrived.

But the Saints knew, having sensed this pagan signature that tampered with their divine influence.

There was another reason they had chosen the desert as their battlefield.

Saint Purity, a young sister-in-training no older than thirteen who truly did not belong on the field of battle, had only an instant to raise her hand and call upon her heavenly gift.

Sunlight flared, focused, and scorched the Beast at its side. The Earth Mother may be as quick as the wind and may traverse its territory however it may perceive, but even it could not be faster than light itself. Purity brought about the wrath of the sun akin to a magnifying glass upon an ant.

There was a howl unlike any other as the Beast released a roar of pain. The earth itself shook below Amelia's feet as her heart froze. Those who had survived the first strike had dropped dead from stilled hearts and shattered brains. The sound alone created acoustics that rendered insides into mush. The screech of the howl made the soul quiver. Their greatest of divine protections prevented the worst of it, but it felt like Amelia was ready to collapse the moment she lost that faint ember of focus.

The strike had made the Beast pause. Only for an instant. But it was an instant Amelia had to witness the creature.

Tall. Slender. Feral. Elegant. Primitive. Raw. Beautiful.

 _Powerful._

The moment passed.

Saint Purity was nothing more than a droplets of blood across the sand.

The Beast moved, ignoring all else and coming straight for Amelia. Those that tried to intercept the Beast were crushed by its presence alone. Simply by standing near it were the remaining Executors and Saint Virtue destroyed.

An instant was the incorrect term to use. The Beast moved faster than anything a human could perceive. It moved _faster_ than an instant.

Amelia became a pile of scattered meat.

But the Beast did not stop moving. It sank deep into the sand and burrowed below. Its massive body fully submerged in less than a second as the sand more so opened and welcomed it rather than it digging with its claws.

The next moment, where the Beast once stood, the sand turned to glass as superheated and focused rays of sunshine beamed down.

Saint Purity, frazzled and close to maddened with fear, had her hand pointed in the direction where the Beast had been. There was no wound on her, though she stood naked in the searing and unbearable heat with the monster tearing everything about her to shreds before.

Executors stood. Their blades readied and hymns singing, they prepared their selves for the next engagement.

Saint Serene of Finland, Amelia Rosewood, gritted her teeth as her Creyroux drank in the sin the Beast had wrought onto her comrades. Their deaths and destruction had been taken by the blade, leaving them as innocent as they had been before. But Amelia felt every pain and every death of their experience. And it showed on her body.

Deep gashes decorated every inch of her body. She looked to be nothing more than a pile of raw meat compressed into the mockery of a human shape. But even Creyroux drank that in. In the next moment her body had returned to its peak condition.

The Beast surfaced, bringing a grand storm of sand that rubbed everyone down and tearing their flesh in its harsh winds. Its fangs bit down and claws severed. It moved faster than any of them could react.

Saint Virtue, the eldest of the Saints and second in might only to Amelia, spread his hands and stopped the storm. His mind flashed the passage of a biblical text, of a story, and the World was defied to replicate this miracle.

Gaia roared and targeted him next. He hadn't the chance to defend himself as it tore him apart beyond recognition.

The storm was called again and darkened the world as it clotted the sunlight. Without the sun Saint Purity could not call upon her own miracles.

But the storm was stopped.

Saint Virtue stood tall, unbending, in the peak of condition as he had been before.

Almost in a tantrum, another bout of sunlight scorched the land asunder. Again the Beast was caught in its rays despite its speed. Again it came at Purity. Again Purity was struck down. Again it came at Virtue and he too was struck down. Again it called upon its storm of sand.

And again it was stopped. And again sunlight burned.

Creyroux was humming as its crimson edge drank in sin after sin. Amelia could not hold back the groans, to which were becoming borderline screams of agony, but her mind would not break. Her mind had never broken. If she had not bent to the violations caused by those men she will not bend to this creature.

She drank in all their deaths. It made Creyroux stronger. It made it more sinister.

 **"Do you know who I am?!"** she bellowed in a voice of power. Her fear clashing against her sanity and the pain intoxicating her. Both could not break her. Both made her stronger.

Darkness enveloped the land. The sun continued to shine above their heads but its light was dim. It was as though night had fallen.

This was no mere shadow of the planet. This was taint, this was wickedness, this was all the evils humanity could perceive being released. This was all the sin Serene of Finland had absorbed throughout her career as a Saint. Every disease, every plague, every catastrophe, every evil humanity had been delivered onto was being exposed.

Creyroux was vibrating in her hands, singing a hymn of omen.

But she would not sharpen this level of sin. She could not. No matter how much she wanted to live, she could not invoke the Dolorous Stroke and slay the Beast.

But she would inflict **pain** on the Beast. Every ounce of pain she had felt since being born with Creyroux. Since her mother had sold her to slavers. Since men after men violated and robbed her of a childhood. Since her prison within the Church as their hunting dog.

She will leave her mark on the Beast. This she swore. She will make sure the Beast thought again after deciding to challenge another Predator.

The Beast will remember this moment. She swore with every fiber of her being.

 **"I am Amelia Rosewood!"** she invoked her true name as she released all of her frustrations. To say her name after so many years… Feelings she had thought to have been lost resurfaced. **"I am Third Predator, the Divine Beast!"**

Darkness descended, crashing down on the Beast in a wave of black.

0-0-0

It had almost been a year since Shirou had first met the Golden King, Gilgamesh of Uruk. Their relationship was a fickle one with Shirou walking on glass the entire time. But the boy was perceptive and could follow the King's moods with ease. Though… there had been times when he had angered Gilgamesh after misinterpreting the wrong expression.

At the least… he found out he _could_ recover from those weapons that were supposed to negate all manner of healing. He also found out that hacking off a limb would have the limb regrow while the severed flesh simply vanished when he wasn't looking. He once tried to keep his right arm as a keepsake. It was gone by the end of the day when he returned to examine it.

Even with his lack in understanding to humanity did he know this was unnatural. He kept it to himself, though he couldn't keep it from Gilgamesh as he _was_ the one who cut him on occasion.

There was an understanding between the two of them. Gilgamesh kept him around because he found the boy to be entertaining while Shirou put up with his irregular— if not slightly _off—_ personality for the sake of observation. However, they both knew that should one cross over the line in any way then one or both of them would be dead. Shirou could use the _Fuyu no Kishi_ to obliterate Gilgamesh while the King of Uruk could use his hidden ace to do the same.

Shirou's instinct warned him about the King's greatest treasure. The boy may be able to come back from the most perverse of instruments within the King's vault… but the words of Alaya told him there was no coming back from _that._ Period.

Outside of mimicking the King's personality and assimilating it into Shirou's portfolio of expressions, gestures, and habits, the boy knew very little about the Golden King himself. Gilgamesh rarely shared stories. He never confirmed nor denied anything pertaining to his legend. Nor did he share _how_ he was still here in this era after six thousand years.

"What is justice?" the King asked, an amused look mixed with anticipation for whatever the boy would reply with.

Shirou didn't understand the King's pattern of appearances. He would seek Shirou once a week, sometimes within a month, sometimes the very next day, to even a few short hours. There was once where he hadn't seen Gilgamesh in four months— but that was only due to the King being away. Something having to do with checking out the results of some event on some uncharted island close to the British Isles…

Always, the King would inquire the same question.

At first, Shirou had responded with the impression Kiritsugu had left. Saying such things about removing one in order to save the many, to be a hero meant to desire conflict and danger, and not everyone can be saved and yet the hero strives to try anyways.

The King would… acknowledge the words of Kiritsugu, but never mark them as words of wisdom. Merely as a sort of understanding based on the man's experience without achieving justice himself. Still, Shirou kept his mind locked on Kiritsugu's words despite whatever the King said.

Gilgamesh didn't so much lecture him as he made the boy question the concept of justice. The King gave different scenarios that always contradicted the virtue and idealism of justice. Things in which made the boy ponder at what point was it justifiable to kill, steal, plunder, and ruin another's life. The more the boy tried to follow along and provide an adequate answer the stranger and more unfair the questions became.

It was like a poor 'Choose Your Own Adventure' where Shirou chose the morally correct answer but got the Dead End regardless. How was he supposed to know the guy getting mugged who he decided to save was really a sociopathic rapist who beheaded his victims?

Not once did Gilgamesh give the answer on what 'justice' was. He always left amused no matter what Shirou provided and promised to ask again once the boy mulled over his thoughts. Had Shirou been a normal boy he would have been frustrated. Instead, more driven since he had nothing better to do, he dove into their conversations and deciphered everything to the best of his skill.

Reading people was easy. Reading the King of Heroes was nearly impossible. The man— if he could be called that— could hide his emotions as though wearing a literal mask. Sometimes his expression would declare one emotion when he was really feeling something else.

Still, he was a marvelous person to observe and replicate for later use. Shirou found conversations with his friends went along more smoothly after incorporating some of the King's personality. Though… he learned quickly the King's arrogance was unwelcomed.

"…Do you hear that?" Gilgamesh said suddenly as he turned his head elsewhere.

"Shishou…?" Shirou questioned. He had been deep in thought with the new puzzle presented by the King when he spoke up. Shirou turned his attention towards where Gilgamesh's senses had expanded towards. What must have been heard wasn't any noise anyone could have picked up, be they mundane or supernatural. Only _they_ could hear it.

Well, the King could. Whatever had been heard had been directed at him only.

"You don't," the King nodded. His brows were furrowed with an expression Shirou had never seen on his face before. Slowly, a feral grin spread across his face. "Well, well, at last the World has spun its course to finally grant me what rightfully belongs to me. First, Second, and now Third have perished. That only leaves me as the most senior and… you."

First, Second, and Third? Shirou didn't know what that meant. Least not entirely. He could only guess those three were the other Predators. It also meant he and Gilgamesh were the last two.

"There were others…?" Shirou asked.

"Of course there were," snickered the King. "Do you not remember the wanderer? Kaname Shisharo. He was one such Predator whom you slew. You became one, did you not? One day more will arise. So long as Alaya remains will there be champions."

A curiosity arose within Shirou upon hearing this rare piece of information. "How do you know they died?"

"…Alaya's voice is only heard if you are willing to listen," he answered after a moment. "You hear it in times of peril, when your life will be in danger. But, hmph, such a warning rarely comes when we are at the pinnacle of might. However, in times of peace, like this, you can call upon Alaya. It's not likely to answer but on occasion it will provide with something useful."

"Why not?"

"Would I, the King of this realm, listen to every question presented by my subjects? If such a problem presents itself I will deal with the matter on my own. While this world may be mine, Alaya exists outside of it. And it is no ruler, merely an observer and an adviser to the King."

…Most of the answer flew over Shirou's head.

"Alaya is old and rotting," Gilgamesh explained further with a tinge of annoyance. "Even as a babe as it was during my Golden Age did it hold over more influence than it does now. There were no Predators back then because there hadn't been a need before, else I would have been First. At its peak could it rival Gaia and did it dub its champions as Predators and lead them on the hunt.

"But now? Alaya is weak. It became arrogant and foolish, drunk with the power it had gained as humanity prospered this far. It made a mistake, and Gaia struck it down. If you bother to listen, you will hear its whimpering as it tries to heal from a wound it cannot. Such is the fate of a fool who underestimates its eternal rival."

There was a cross between a smirk of irony and a grimace of annoyance.

This was the most Gilgamesh had spoken about the subject. Shirou absorbed every detail and debated with himself whether to question further and risk the King's ire or be satisfied with this much.

"How do I… listen, Shishou?" Shirou chose to ask in the end.

For a moment, that cold fury blazed within Gilgamesh's eyes. The mask was brought up once more and Shirou was blocked away from reading the mood. Only his eyes showed a glimpse of what might transpire. But, seeing as how his instincts weren't screaming at him like before, Gilgamesh wouldn't be trying to gut him like before. It meant the King was debating whether to answer or not.

"…The same you would ask me of something," the King of Heroes answered eventually. "Aloud. Within your mind. Whichever you prefer. Know Alaya is unlikely to answer, even more so if you ask about something trivial."

Shirou brought his head back and took a pondering expression. Inwardly, he did exactly as the King recommended.

His senses were swept away.

It was as though he were in a million different places at the same time and yet not overwhelming. He was in the market, observing a hundred different people and listening to their conversations and bartering. He was in the entertainment district, once more watching people play their games, watch their movies, eat their food, and could follow their conversations just the same.

He was in a large room full of desks— the teacher's lounge to Homurahara— watching a stressed out Taiga trying to juggle with her new job. She was sulking over paperwork and complaining about not having as much free time as she had in college.

Incidentally, she hoped Shirou was making her favorite dish for dinner tonight. He decided to indulge her and get to it once his business with the King was done.

He was in the bar of Copenhagen. Hotaruzuka-san, Otoko's father, was at the front entertaining his guests. Otoko, meanwhile, was putting her college education to use by trying to organize and make sense of the files and receipts her father failed to keep in order. She ruffled her hair in frustration, sighed, and then went back to work.

He was in the homes of his friends. Ayako was helping her mother in the kitchen, learning some family recipe. Shirou scowled when he saw Ayako fumbling around with the knife. He'd have to bring her over one day and tell her how to properly use it.

He saw Shinji curled up at his desk, trying to get his homework done. Shirou peered over his shoulder and saw where his math was wrong. He tried to correct it and show Shinji what was wrong… but his body phased through all objects within the room.

He was standing over Sakura's body. She was naked in the pits of some dank crypt buried deep below her house. Worms crawled over, under, and _in_ her as she laid there unmoving. Only the occasional twitch and his instincts told him she was still alive.

There was… something standing off to the corner of the crypt, merely watching as the parasites invaded the young girl. Something was wrong about this creature. It stood in the shape of a human being but was not human in any way. Undeniably this creature was comparable to Shirou. A twisted and corrupt thing, but comparable nonetheless.

Shirou heard the faint whispers of voices and could follow them in the air as though they were ribbons attached to each origin. Simply grasping onto one would lead him across the ocean to a foreign land. Though he couldn't understand the words spoken in this dialect he could read the emotions with both his observation skills as well as the instinct within him. He leapt across the globe hundreds of times, seemingly randomly as he grabbed ribbon after ribbon.

All the while, he never lost focus on the previous individuals he had seen. The market women, the teenagers enjoying their afternoon gaming, his friends— he was with them, interacting with them without truly being there, and never losing coordination or being overwhelmed by this multitude of perception shift.

"Huh," was all he could say at the end of it. He had returned to his body, never truly leaving per se. It was more like he had called out to something and it called back in kind. Like a sonar, he supposed. He hadn't been gone for hours on end like his mind had thought. He had only been lost in this venture for a few seconds.

"Alaya only answers in times of need," explained the King. "When it needs something done or when your life is in danger. Only then does it guide you through the most perilous of trials. The Dragon Slayer once told me Alaya used to be able to speak about the most trivial of problems. Including when you were about to trip on a crack or stub your toe. The idiocy of it all…"

Shirou pondered about this. And as he pondered about this, his senses expanded to notice his surroundings. He could feel when the wind shifted, where the bugs were, and what people were around them. He knew when people were talking about him on the other side of town— most of the time was about gossip with the rare bad intention… from Shinji.

This meant Alaya _didn't_ answer in just times of need. It was unlikely the King of Heroes was lying. Why would he lie about something like this when after some investigation and experiments Shirou would find the truth? After all, just a thought right now warped Shirou across all of town and his life wasn't in danger by anything.

Then… did that mean it wasn't the same to Gilgamesh? Did that mean Alaya _wasn't_ talking to him on purpose? And why?

"What is justice?" Gilgamesh asked out of the blue. It was the soonest he had asked between intervals. Though, it seemed more like he was asking himself with the way his attention was locked towards whatever Alaya had told him.

Towards the Middle East… but that's as far as Shirou got. It was like he was about to invade in something private. He could pry it open, he knew, but then so would Gilgamesh. He decided to not try.

Instead, he focused on the information Gilgamesh had provided on the aspects of a Predator to see if it had changed his viewpoint on justice in any way.

"…To be a champion for the people?" he more asked than answered.

"A champion…?" Gilgamesh blinked a few times to return to reality. He looked down at Shirou with the same amused glance he always wore. A few minutes passed until the King burst out into laughter. "Little pup, such an answer is beneath you. For a moment I almost believed you were a child. You almost had me fooled. But then I remembered what you really are, exotic creature masquerading as man."

He let out a few more chuckles while resting his cheek into his hand. He pulled it away to answer with a posture of a King. Regal, majestic, and undeniable. "I will call upon you once again. But not to inquire your personal belief. I will grant you the answer you seek. Not through words. But through authority and demonstration."

That was certainly a change of pace. Although, it didn't change anything to Shirou. He had his beliefs of justice based on what Kiritsugu shared. Whether he believed in them as zealously as his father did or not was up for debate. But it was the code he lived by, having the blessings passed down by the old man, and he would follow through with them to the bitter end. Whether it was the right or wrong answer.

Following this conversation, it would be another few months before Gilgamesh would return.

0-0-0

Finally, an opportunity presented itself.

There was something of a routine, almost an automatic sequence, in which both Shirou and Sakura partook in. After school, Shirou would be working on his studies so to prepare for the upcoming high school exams. Not that Homurahara was difficult to get into, but most manners of studies went over his head. He was… decent at mathematics whereas his literary skills were on par with garbage. Despite her immaturity, Taiga proved to be a wonderful tutor to help him make up for his weaknesses.

Sakura, meanwhile, would be taking her time after school to further her skills with archery. She wanted to enter the high school team when her time came and at the moment didn't need to worry about academics. On occasion she would be the one picking up his slack when Taiga couldn't be around… with Ayako at her side. She seemed to not want the two of them alone together.

Having that said, they rarely had a moment to their selves. With Shirou being busy with his studies, Sakura seldom came over to share meals and recipes.

Until one day. It was on a weekend right after school. There was not Saturday practice for Sakura and Shirou could hold off on studies. Taiga was going to be with her father for the afternoon until she came over for dinner. And Ayako had business with her family. For what was weeks on end did Shirou finally find an opportunity to be alone with Sakura.

Well, not truly alone. Even if it were just the two of them isolated in a single room were neither of them going to be alone. There was something always watching over Sakura.

"Sakura-chan," Shirou said as soon as they entered his house.

"Yes, Sempai?" Sakura's eyes have become more lively as time went on. She no longer shrank back to her doll-like façade. Though there were some moments where she had a lack of response to something. Slowly, but surely, she was starting to open up to him. But there was still hesitation branded deep into her psychosis.

He thought about his words carefully.

"I don't want you to go home. Stay the night."

"…Eh?" Sakura blinked. Her book bag slipped out of her grip and collapsed to the floor. She didn't notice. A crimson color began to run up from her neck until it consumed every corner of her face. It even made her ears glow.

"S-S-Sempai!" she shrieked, covering her face with her hands. She became frantic, shaking and swaying around while having difficulty looking his way. "I… I'm not p-prepared for this."

He was confused. What an odd reaction for someone terrified. Her reaction was often linked with embarrassment. Or was she not afraid of the thing lurking in her house?

Regardless, he pressed the issue. "If you're worried… don't. I'm taking responsibility."

Her eyes widened as her shaking stopped. Her body went rigid, as stiff as a board. He could have given her a light tap, watch her tip over, and her body would rattle around before lying flat on the floor.

Her hands moved from her eyes to cover her mouth. Tears began to sprout from the corner of her eyes. "S-Sempai… I… N-No… Y-Y-You can't…"

"Yes, I can. And I will," he argued, putting firmness to his voice. This was the correct way, right? He never had someone to test this on and didn't know if it was working. "You… like it here, right? You can stay with me as long as you would like. No, I want you to stay here."

"…Really?" something small and scared came out of her voice.

"Really," Shirou nodded. Now, dare he smile here? Or keep his voice firm? If he tried to do both it would come out something cynical or sarcastic. That's not what Sakura needed. He decided to let it stay the same and run its course. "I'll take care of you."

"But…" she muttered. Her eyes grew distant as she muttered something below her breath.

He caught it. "I will deal with your grandfather."

There was steel in his voice. An edge that caught him by surprise. His tone had been as sharp as any of the blades he created. Still, steel didn't bend. This surprise did nothing to his resolve. He glared directly at her, showing her how determined he was.

He would never be able to understand or describe his relationship with Sakura. Friends, lovers, kin, or something else entirely he didn't know. All he knew was that Sakura was in trouble and needed help. He may have been doing it because of his dream of becoming a hero— Sakura would be his first damsel in distress to rescue— but there was something more.

Something possessive, almost. Sakura was his and it rattled him whenever he saw her go into the pits. She clearly didn't enjoy it and the thing living in her house forced her ritualistically.

Plus, he took sexual education. He knew what was going on was wrong in every sense.

Sakura stared back at him, unbelieving his words and sinking back into her blank mask in recoil. But his glare forced her to stay as she was. She couldn't become the doll again. She couldn't hide inside her inner world, void of all reaction of the physical and emotional aptitude. Something in his gaze had her soul hooked in his grasp with it pulling her back out.

She sank to her knees, wrapping her arms around herself. That stare, she knew, wasn't normal. It was a stare that transcended anything her Grandfather could ever hope to emit.

Fortitude. Hope. Undeniable strength. These were the things coming out of Shirou for her to see.

She shook her head. It didn't matter what she thought of the boy. It didn't matter how much she liked him, perhaps even loved but she was too young to tell if it was true, Shirou was still just a _boy._ Grandfather would outright destroy him if he tried to get in the way. Grandfather was just as powerful as he was ancient. There was a reason why he had lived for so long.

"Sempai… please. Don't…" she pleaded. Her fingers clutched tightly around her arms.

He said something to her. More assurances or arguments. But she couldn't hear. She became terrified for the boy. Oh so very terrified. Grandfather would surely try to come after him after hearing about this. Her heart skipped a beat. The idea of the boy she crushed dead horrified her. She would never forgive herself if she dragged Shirou into the affairs of a Magus family.

She knew what she had to do.

With tears falling out of her face, Sakura grabbed her bag and fled.

Something made her stop. A hand clasped down on her wrist so strong it hurt. Fingers as firm as iron kept her from reaching the door.

"I mean it," Shirou said with more edge in his voice. "Don't go home. I don't want you to go back there ever again."

"Sempai…" she sobbed. "Please let me go… before… before Grandfather—"

"I will deal with him," he ushered.

He didn't know what he was getting himself involved with, she told herself this over and over again. No matter how strong he sounded, there was _nothing_ he could do against that monster.

"Why…?" she found herself asking. She fell to her knees once more. Her other hand went to cover his, not to pry off his grip but simply to clasp onto him. "Why, Sempai? I don't want you to get hurt…"

"…Because I really care about you, Sakura," he said after silence. "I want you to be happy. You're not happy at home, are you? You never like talking about Shinji or your grandfather. You always try to change the subject when it's brought up."

There was more. His voice had trailed off. But she hardly noticed.

She was shaking with fear. So much it was beginning to aggravate the worms within her. They were starting to squirm from their sleep.

"…I'm dirty," she said in such a low voice she could hardly hear her own voice. "I'm not good for you, Sempai. I'm not pretty. I'm dirty. Dirty…"

More silence. It was agonizing.

The grip on his hand softened. No more did it keep her confounded to the place. But he didn't let go either. He held on for the sake of comfort this time rather than restraint.

"…I don't really get it," he said after so long. "You seem fine to me."

"You don't understand!" she bellowed. She looked up at him with a rush of emotion that sent the tears flooding now. "I'm disgusting! Tainted! Violated! Sempai doesn't deserve me! Sempai deserves someone pure and _better_! I.. I can't… be with Sempai…"

Her arms moved. One to cover her chest while the other slipped between her thighs. She felt so tainted. So dirty and disgusting. So filthy no amount of cleansing could ever hope to purify her. It had been branded into her being. It had made her into what she was today. It was the burden she had to bear in order to carry the Matou legacy.

Shirou sat down in front of her, having let go of her wrist to let her shield herself. His face was as blank as it could be. But she knew he was confused. He showed his confusion by observing her, studying her, learning from her reactions. He didn't understand what she was going through nor how terrible it was. He _couldn't._ The only thing he could do was watch how her face warped and replicated them in front of a mirror.

"I never understood, Sakura-chan," Shirou admitted. "I don't think I ever will. If there is something wrong… I don't see it. All I see is… you."

"You don't… understand…" she repeated. She had nothing else to say to convince this boy otherwise. The only way to do so would be to reveal the truth. That horrible truth that ate away at her heart in fear of him finding out. She didn't want him to know about her. She loved these moments of normality with him. Once he learned of the truth will her precious daydream shatter forever.

As soon as she repeated her words, Shirou realized there wouldn't be any progress at this point. "Okay. At least stay tonight. I'll figure out what else to do later."

"…I need to call Grandfather," she said after a moment.

His lips twitched, the smallest indication of a genuine emotion stirring from within him. He wrestled with something in his mind until he conceded and nodded. She knew where the phone was and left her to her business. Shirou left her to prepare for the evening meal.

Sakura dreaded this. She took a breath to calm her nerves as well as calming the worms festering within her. Her heart skipped a beat when the phone answered after the first ring. There was no voice on the other end but she knew the old worm was listening.

"Grandfather…?" she called out. No answer would come anyways. "I was… wondering if… I could stay over at Emiya-sempai's tonight. T-There will be supervision, I'm sure…"

Her grandfather would decline, obviously. He had to. Tonight was the night where she would continue her training. Not in the pit but… with Shinji. Too many days had gone by since the worms had been satisfied. It was difficult to keep them from stirring. Her mental state didn't help.

"But of course," the raspy voice of the ghoul made her stomach churl. "I couldn't have asked for a better opportunity myself. See to it the Emiya boy assists you with your… training."

There was a click. The line went dead.

…No.

She didn't want this. Not like this. She didn't want something like this to happen in this manner. She was by no means a dainty flower at this point, having being violated by the worms and Shinji repeatedly. But she was still a girl who dreamed about laying with the one she loved the most. Whether she loved Shirou or not wasn't the question. She liked him, incredulously, but she wanted their relationship to grow before deciding what to make out of it.

She didn't want to bring Shirou into this world of hers. This dark and horrifying world. She should lie to him and say Grandfather forbade it. But Grandfather would be angry at her. Who knows what sort of punishment she would receive. But if it meant keeping Shirou out of _that_ life…

"Sakura-chan…?" Shirou called out from the hallway. He had an apron on and was wiping his hands clean off of it. "What happened?"

She realized she had been standing there for some time. Unsure on what to do.

The moment she heard his voice, she came to a decision.

"Grandfather… granted me permission to stay."

She was still a girl, in the end. Deep down to her core, no matter how deep and dark it had been buried. This was one opportunity she could not pass up.

Maybe… just maybe Shirou will enjoy it. Maybe, just maybe, he will accept her for what she was.

He didn't need to know about the worms, anyways.

0-0-0

It slept.

It had never taken such an infliction of wounds before. The Beast's flesh had been rubbed raw, pussed with infections and diseases that it should have been immune to, and marked with scars that made every muscle spasm and nerves scream.

Sin. It was a _human_ concept. It should not have affected the Earth Mother. But somehow, in some way, that human girl had seared the concept onto its hide.

It didn't matter. In the end her red fang was broken in two. In the end all of them were dead.

But the Earth Mother slept, longer than she should have. Her wounds needed more time to recover than ever before.

The First Predator had been her easiest prey. The Will and Incarnation of Humanity had been hardly a challenge after the Earth Mother had taken him by surprise. It was finding him that had been the biggest challenge and the most time consuming.

The Second Predator had been the easiest to find, but the most troublesome to deal with. He was, however, just as easy to kill as the First. The Second had batted away all of her attempts with his _magic._ And he had left a few marks on her flesh. Nothing too serious and only some time in slumber was required for her to return to her full might. He was more annoying than challenging to slay.

But the Third… The Third Predator had been most irksome. Truly this one had been a challenge. This one had been ferocious in her strikes, tenacious in her defiance, and wrathful in her retaliations. Everything the Earth Mother delivered was compressed, focused, and brought back thrice as fierce. At first they had been nothing more than nuisances. But as the battle dragged on, as the… sins accumulated, the return fire had become a legitimate threat.

The Earth Mother dove deep into the sand, deeper than any creature could hope to reach, and drank from the blood itself. It was needed else her wounds would leave scars and hinder her movements for future hunts. And here she slept, resting between the surface and the core.

She dreamed of her remaining targets. The Fourth and, within eventuality, the Fifth.

It would seem the white-fanged one had perished. And a new one took up its place. No matter.

She dreamed of the Fourth. The one with the infinite fangs.

And upon sensing her dream, the Sovereign stared back.

0-0-0

The months flew by.

Shirou awoke by the instinct, by the voice of Alaya speaking softly to him. It was alerting him that someone was about to…

He heard the calling of a horn. Something that only he could hear as it was a sound that sang within his mind. Someone was calling out to him and if he asked Alaya, the Will of Humanity replied.

The Golden King was blowing he horn, demanding his summons.

…A phone call wasn't good enough? And the Golden King usually, so to speak, kicked open his front door and paraded around his house if he wanted to talk. Shirou wondered what the fuss was all about.

Sakura stirred the moment he rose out of his futon. He never truly solved the situation with her household… but she seemed to be happier. She smiled more often. Though she was forced to return home he kept an eye on her always. Since demanding her to stay at his house she had gone down into the crypt once a month. An improvement, surely, but not the solution he wanted.

She always stopped him from confronting her grandfather. Fear was etched in her voice but she reasoned with him. She proclaimed things were much better at home and that her grandfather permitted her to stay over his house so long as she returned now and then. She stayed over just about every other day. A full week on rare occasions.

He thought Taiga would flip a table over it (she had once, when he received his first demerit). But she acted like a respectable guardian, questioning the two of them on this seemingly random situation, and spoke with Matou Zouken personally as both a teacher of Sakura and as Shirou's guardian. She even began to stay over at the Emiya household to keep watch on the two of them.

…But she was a heavy sleeper. She never noticed Sakura had slipped into his room on the first night.

But the events that followed was another story for another time…

Right now, the King was calling for him. He didn't want Gilgamesh to pay him a visit this late in the evening. He would bombard the house with his treasures for having to come here after the summons. Shirou really didn't want to risk Sakura's safety… nor the house Kiritsugu entrusted him with.

It took him a minute to wear something warm for the evening and sneak out of the house without making a sound.

"You kept me waiting," the Golden King had said as soon as he arrived some thirty minutes later.

It would be pointless to make any excuse. He wouldn't have listened. Especially to the one where Shirou was still a growing boy with short legs who had to hike twenty miles from his home in the middle of the night.

The King of Heroes was donned in a grand design of primordial armor crafted out of solid gold. There was powerful magic woven deep into the fibers and sheets. Despite the lack of a moon this evening, the armor shimmered with an eerie light that should not have been.

"What is it, Shishou?" Shirou asked instead, knowing it would be unwise to add to the King's impatience.

Gilgamesh had a hardened expression on his face. "Come. I grant you permission to witness something truly marvelous. You are to be my chronicler for this tale and to spread it far and wide. Do this and I shall share with you the true meaning of justice."

Shirou's only response was to nod.

The King's expression didn't change. He turned and lifted his arm to point at the open field. Golden light brightened the area as the King's vault released a peculiar artifact from its confines. It was a rolled up piece of fabric with bright colors. With a flick of his wrist, the article rolled out and spread across the floor.

It was a carpet. A beautifully embroidered carpet with a zeal of colors and patterns. Each edge had a golden tassel and the edge rimmed with a shimmering material unlike any other— neither as a fabric nor a metal. Jewels had been stitched into the center of each pattern that glowed in a mystic light.

Gilgamesh walked to the center and sat down cross legged. He spread his hand and gestured for Shirou. "Come. Be grateful this King grants you permission to be at his side and share one of his spoils. I am generous this evening. You shall never see such a sight ever again."

Shirou didn't question it. He only complied and sat seiza beside the Golden King.

The carpet lifted up into the air instantly, rising higher than any skyscraper in a matter of seconds. It flew forward, faster than any jet plane. And yet the wind did not buff against them. They were not cold by the height or battered by the turbulence. It was more like they were within a protective bubble than on a flimsy magic carpet.

Shirou did not question anything. He kept silent as he examined his surroundings. Within a few minutes they had crossed over the mainland and entered the Sea of Japan.

"…Ah, there she is," Gilgamesh had declared. He cocked his head and crossed his arms. His armor rattled with each movement.

"She…?" Shirou questioned.

Gilgamesh's only response was to narrow his eyes. But not because of Shirou. He did so because of the one who had his attention… the thing Alaya was telling him about.

Shirou decided to look in the same direction as the King. He expanded his senses and let him be taken by Alaya. His mind stretched over the sea, over the mountains guarding China, and stretched further. Whatever he was looking for was far, further than anything he had searched for.

"You spoke once of being a champion for the people," the King said suddenly. He snickered. "You are not wrong, but it is not the correct answer. I could tell you it is the duty of the strong to defend the weak; I could tell you it is the weak who must be culled by the strong. Neither reason would be wrong.

"Do you know what it means to be a Predator? To be a _champion_ of the people? To become one of us, you don't just need to be strong. You must be the strongest. None else except our own kind may oppose us. It means we are the greatest humanity has to offer.

"So, little pup, tell me. What is justice?"

Shirou continued to expand his senses. What he was looking for would take some time, especially since he had no idea what he was looking for in the first place. He was only following Gilgamesh's gaze. He decided to take the time to answer.

"To use what we've become for the people? To make sure humanity survives?"

"This and that are entirely different," the King chided, a small curl of a frown donning his lips. "No, boy, what is _justice_? Justice, by definition, is to will the rewards and consequences invoked by the law. Now do you understand? Do you understand what it means to be a Predator? Do you understand what it means to be a hero of justice?"

The King's head snapped up before he could listen to the boy's reply. He unfurled his legs and stood. No more was he lax in posture. He was tall, impenetrable, as solid as a fortress. His presence was unrivaled as he donned his mantle of a King.

Finally, Shirou caught what had gained the King's attention.

 _ **It sees you. Run!**_

His eyes widened as something primal shook at his core. It felt like his heart had exploded within his chest. He was shaking, a defense mechanism and reaction from witnessing something he shouldn't have.

 _It_ rose out of the sand from across the globe. The thing shook off what sand clung to its fur and stretched its limbs. The drowsiness had slipped off like a blanket. It only needed a moment to fully awaken.

It stared back at Shirou. Moonlit eyes peering into his very soul.

Then it moved.

It moved across the sand, never disturbing it as it glided across at an impossible speed that should have torn it asunder. Wings sprouted out of its back as it took to the air. And then it phased out of his vision as its speed increased and it slipped into the wind.

A wall of light illuminated the area. No, not a wall. This time it was a mountain of golden light. The Gates of Babylon were opened entirely as an endless wall of treasures stretched from sea to sky, from horizon to horizon. Blades of every shape and color poked out, ready to be launched at a single command.

Shirou's mind drank them in. Each and every one of them. The thousands upon thousands of blades. Not all of them had been blades. Some of them instruments, some of them constructs, some of them ships, artillery, and jewelry.

"You're not using that right," he couldn't help but share.

A brow twitched in annoyance. But the King ignored him. Instead, he waved his hand forward.

A flood of steel was unleashed. The blades overlapping another so closely there was less than a centimeter of space between them. Had Shirou moved even the faintest bit he would have been shredded. Neither he nor the King moved as this barrage of endless weaponry shot forward without direction or target.

 _It_ flew towards them, having reached the edge of the sea on the other side. The treasures of the King were there to meet it. But there was nothing they could do against it. No matter how great they had once been, they hadn't been enough to pierce its hide. The creature, this monster unlike any other, had let the first wave crash against its impenetrable fur as it flew forward without hindrance. It did not slow down in the slightest as it swam through this flood of weapons.

But the weapons continued to come. They continued to pump out of the Gates, not one a single replica of another nor was a previous treasure used twice after being called back. The vault was so vast there seemed to be an endless supply of the most epic of treasures.

All weapons for Shirou to witness. For him to see, to analyze no matter how brief of a glimpse he caught. His mind, no, his body, _no,_ his soul absorbed each of them with a loving embrace. Each blueprint was read, corrected, and set aside within his core to be called upon later.

"Who is it that decides what is just?" Gilgamesh asked.

The creature continued to travel forward. Gilgamesh snapped a finger. There was a single instant where the Gates stopped firing. A single lapse of a frame. It didn't matter anyways as the monster continued to fly forward at its impossible speed. But in the next instant, a new set of weapons were called out from the vault.

Shirou's eyes widened at the sight of them. Weapons of gods, titans, of beings more ancient than the King of Heroes— of heroes foretold through oral story when the written language had yet to be conceived. Weapons forged from the primordial era where the earth was a heap of magma and rock.

Spears of lightning as bright as the sun cracked through the air. Hammers as loud as thunder slammed into the creature's hide. Swords glowing with colorful flames, of pure light, of _cosmic energy_ stabbed into its limbs and wings. Artillery firing beams of archaic force. Constructs transforming into dragons, serpents, great birds, and things liken to angels soared.

Finally, the creature was stunned. Its hide pierced at last as the greatest of the King's treasures stabbed into it. It released a roar of pain that sent a shockwave forward, knocking the lesser instruments aside but not for the godlier of creations.

It was knocked out of the sky and sent spiraling into the ocean by a sword… A sword that could have only been wielded by a titan the size of the moon. The blade itself was the size of a mountain!

The onslaught did not end. Gilgamesh looked down at his target and changed his trajectory. The Gates aimed down into the watery depths and sent a storm of primeval weapons without restraint. Shirou knew the creature was far from dead. Merely stunned from the impact.

His instincts flared, screaming at him to get out of the way by any means.

Gilgamesh felt it to. In the next instant his greatest of shields covered his front as he commanded his carpet to carry him back, as far away from the thing as possible.

Clouds rolled with thunder clapping. Rain began to pour down, pelting Shirou with water and hail powered by the wind that would have bruised or broken bones had he been a normal boy. Lightning fired down, striking at one of the shields and being deflected.

The thing was angry. Nature was being bent by its will.

It rose out of the sea, swiping its talons and claws at the wave of silver coming at it. It had summoned the wind and knocked away a plethora of weaponry. The rest that followed had been caught by its tail, by its wings, by its fins, by its jaws, and again by its talons and claws. It moved like a blur, swimming through the sea of colorful death. It did not approach them as fast as it had previously done, but it moved with enough ferocity and swiftness to be a giant blur.

But it was still too far away for Shirou to see with his normal vision. He was following the battle through Alaya's guidance. It also didn't help that Gilgamesh was retreating. They would be reproaching land within a few minutes.

The question was… did they have a few minutes to spare?

The King's gaze was hardened. His legs were bent as he used most of his focus to control what instrument to use against this creature.

It frightened Shirou. Yes, this feeling was fear. After witnessing a gluttonous supply of the greatest of blades and learning about each and every one of them at an intimate level upon a single glance, it frightened him how well this creature was capable of knocking them aside as though they were _nothing._ What the Golden King was using now were instruments that were capable of bending the laws of space and time itself by their presence alone! They defied the elements and projected their own reality into existence. These were weapons used by the primordial lawmakers when designing the world at its creation!

And yet this monster were treating them as though they were nuisances.

The King began to laugh. It had been a small chuckle at first before it grew into an uproar. He brought his head back while putting his hand over his brow. "Yes! This is it! This is the challenge worthy of me! The Ultimate Killer against the Ultimate Hunter. The rightful king of the planet against the primordial ruler of the planet!"

He brought his head down. He spread his arms out as though welcoming the monster into his loving embrace. "Do you know what it means to be strong? Do you know what it means to be a champion? Do you know what it means to uphold _justice_?!"

…He wondered if the King had gone mad. Shirou couldn't tell. He had difficulty enough understanding normal people. Diving into the psychology of a deranged person was nearly impossible.

A feral grin spread his face. There was something in his eyes. A glint of something dangerous. Shirou's instincts made him want to react. His body twitched, desiring to strike down the King where he stood. But he didn't know why this feeling came. It was as though the King was just as dangerous to him as the creature gradually approaching.

Gilgamesh reached into his vault. It was the first time ever the man would pull out something by his own hands.

"Do you know who upholds justice? The strong! Do you know who makes the law? The strong! And who am I? But the mightiest of Predators! **I am the Sovereign!** I am King of this world and it is _I_ who make the rules, for I am the rules! I am JUSTICE!"

What he pulled out of the Gates of Babylon… it made Shirou spasm as a sharp pain struck him _everywhere_. His entire body convulsed upon seeing this instrument.

It was a blade. But not a blade. It was a weapon. But not a weapon. It was an instrument for humanity. But not made by humans.

A nameless instrument said to be equal to the ancient and most powerful divinity in existence, the Sumerian Godking Ea. It was forged out of the bones of the Outsider Marduk after he tore the Original Chaos in half to create Potential and Entropy. It was an impossibility. Not even the Root could acknowledge its presence for the Root could not comprehend its foreign nature.

The bladed rod began to spin in three different directions. The core of it came alive, brimming with a power that should not exist within this Inside.

The barrage of weapons ceased. Every instrument was called back into the vault. The skies were open. Lightning continued to crackle down and wind cut through, but all was obliterated within reach. Everything was torn asunder by the cycling energies of the Kings ultimate treasure.

As a demigod Gilgamesh is stronger and more durable than any man. As the king who united the world as one, his brilliance is unchallenged. As the collector of all of humanity's value, his resources are endless. His options for battle are endless.

But it is this weapon that had made him into a Predator.

Shirou's eyes shot open as far as they could. Now, more than ever, his instincts were screaming at him. If Gilgamesh followed with this attack… the world will die in its entirety. Nature would cease to exists. Humanity will perish.

"I am King! I hereby declare your execution, Gaia! May the world be purged in your absence! **Enuma Elish**!"

He brought the sword forward, stabbing it into the air.

A storm of _nothing_ tore through the air, sending discharges of chaotic energy from Before the Beginning out of its wake.

The creature could not run, no matter how fast it had been. It roared out in defiance but was swept away in the currents.

"Graaaaah!" cried out the King. He lurched forward, gripping the side of his head. His eyes were crazed as he was sweating. "Damn you, Alaya! DAMN YOU! You choose now to interfere?!"

Shirou couldn't move. In the end he had done nothing to stop the world from ending. In the end he continued to sit and watch. He had been forced between two sides he didn't want to be a part of. On one side was a monster that could end him faster than a heartbeat. And on the other was a maddened king who could do very much the same.

The carpet flew back and thudded. They had landed on the shores of Japan. The King got off while continuing to grip the side of his head. He swore curses to Alaya while continuing to carry his… sword.

 _ **Error.**_

"You're… not…"

 _ **Error.**_

"Using…"

 _ **eRRoR**_

"Grk!"

 _ **E*R**r**_

Shirou gave up trying to understand this weapon. The best he could do was know the most efficient method of using it. He couldn't understand how it was forged, what its name actually was, or where it had come from. It hurt. It _hurt._ He never felt pain before. He had something akin to it, but it was more of a system his body used to tell him something was injured. This was the first time he felt something so unpleasant it couldn't be anything else but pain.

"The Beast yet lives…" snarled Gilgamesh. He spun around and faced the ocean. His greatest treasure crackling with chaotic energy still. "But Alaya can't stop me again. He's too weak now."

…He?

"Shishou, what was that?" Shirou asked.

Gilgamesh's head spun around as though he had forgotten about the boy entirely. Perhaps he did, being swept up in his own moment of glory. His eyes flashed something wild and untamed before his control returned. "Hear this so you may tell the tale. That is the Beast, the Predator of Predator. It is Gaia Incarnate, heralded as the Earth Mother. It is the fully manifested form of the Will of the Planet. All the power and authority of the planet itself given physical representation in order to hunt us down.

"And I shall be its slayer," he announced without hesitation.

Again, Shirou's instincts flared, demanding he stop the King from carrying this out.

"Humanity brought this upon their selves," the King rambled. "They festered into something that cannot be controlled. In my day I would execute hundreds so all will hear my words. But that cannot happen in these times. Performing a culling will change nothing, even if I were to execute a third of the population, perhaps even two-thirds. This world is sick and dying… all because of humanity.

"I've decided the world is no longer worth saving!" he declared with a smile. A smile. "While it is still mine and still beautiful, I shall destroy it before it can collapse into something putrid. Like a flower that blooms before it wilts, I will end it all before humanity can corrupt the planet any more than they already have. Such is my right as King!"

It didn't make sense. It didn't. Never mind his insane idea. It didn't make sense to bring Shirou along for this. There was no point in him witnessing the end of it all if all of it _was going to end._ Gilgamesh didn't need him to 'tell his tale' if the world was going to go to shit.

No. There was a reason Shirou was here.

It began as early as when Shisharo Kaname showed up. Why hadn't Alaya warned the Predator there was someone more than capable of killing him? Why didn't Gilgamesh know he boy wasn't dead after their first encounter? And why did he suddenly change his mind after witnessing Kaname's technique? Why come back to Shirou after repeatedly losing his patience and repeatedly striking him down? Why allow Shirou to stick around with him in the first place?

"…What do you think you're doing?" the King's eyes narrowed to a dangerous level.

 _Fuyu no Kishi_ was in Shirou's grip. The white katana did not shimmer with impossible energies. The pedestrian blade was beyond a laughable opposition to the thing that split the Original Chaos.

"Alaya sent me to stop you," Shirou figured it out and announced his findings. "We're supposed to protect humanity!"

"Have you learned nothing?!" the King snapped. He roared, "Do you not know what you are? What I am? Predators! The apex beings! The Ultimate Killers who rule this planet! None may oppose us, not even Alaya himself! We are the strongest! By the divine right of steel and conquest are we the lawmakers, the rulers, and the executors!"

"…There is no we," Shirou retorted.

All emotion washed away from Gilgamesh. He was beyond rage at this point.

"There is no 'you and I'. I am a dog of Alaya, a whelp used in the hunt to slay the enemies of humanity."

A cold fury washed over the sand. Gilgamesh's entire presence darkened as his own words were being used against him. The Gates of Babylon opened as a series of primeval weapons of the primordial age were fired.

"THIS IS HOW YOU USE IT!" Shirou shouted as he brought his arm around.

He did not swing with _Fuyu no Kishi._ He swung with a hammer brimming with the power of a star going nova within its core, forged out of dwarven magic. It would, one day, become Mjornir, but for right now it was simply a cosmic weapon used by beings beyond understanding.

It was also ten times the size of Shirou. It was to be used by a giant of unparalleled might and strength. But wield it he did. The hammer was weightless in his grip. No, more like the hammer guided itself with Shirou giving it direction. Giving it _purpose._

It slammed into open air and created a shockwave. Space itself cracked like glass before an eruption broke out. Every instrument the King sent became dust. It did not matter if they were cosmic by design. They had been fired away like rocks from a sling. Without a wielder to master them, they were nothing more than atrociously expensive projectiles.

 **"Do you know who I am?"** Shirou demanded out of the King.

The King did not move. He did not react. His stare was void of any emotion. But the grip on his ultimate weapon tightened. It began to spin lazily.

The prototype Mjornir was dismissed. It faded away from existence. In his hands was _Fuyu no Kishi_ once more.

 **"I am the Sword."**

Words filled his mind and escaped out of his mouth. It sang with him. Whether this was the guidance of Alaya or by his own merits was beyond him. He let them out, empowered by the Will of Humanity.

 **"Steel is my Body,**

 **"And Glass is my Heart.**

 **"I am the Executor,**

 **"I am the Strongest.**

 **"Justice is my Law,**

 **"The Blade is my Guide.**

 **"And so I declare…"**

His senses sharpened. An infinite pathways were opened to him. Every option he could imagine, that could happen, what will happen, and what shouldn't happen was visible to him. Information that would drive anyone insane was welcomed by him. Nothing overloaded him.

He could pry into Gilgamesh's mind and hear his thoughts. Alaya whispered the secrets of the Golden King. Every memory was there for Shirou to see, to absorb, to study. Every bit of information the King knew was his to delve into.

Including his endless armory.

 **"I am…** _ **the**_ **Predator!"**

"Usurper!" bellowed Gilgamesh. His eyes widened with an uncontrollable rage consumed him. He spat each word out. "Thief! _Faker_! How dare you take what is rightfully mine! The punishment for this crime IS DEATH!"

The nameless weapon began to spin, discharging chaotic energy.

Shirou moved, his legs kicking against the sand and sending him flying forward. His body started to unravel. But it did not bleed out. His legs became steel to keep up with his inhuman speed and strain. He became a silver flash as he crossed the distance in an instant.

 **"Enuma El—"**

There was no time for Gilgamesh to finish his attack. Nor was there time for Shirou to deliver the final blow. The distance was too great. But there was something he could do against that weapon.

 _Fuyu no Kishi_ was brought around. The heretical technique of Shisharo Kaname spliced through nothingness and tore open reality. Reality could not accept this. It closed shut, stretching all existence in order to conceal the gap created by the blade. Sand blew everywhere, the waves crashed hard on them, but these things would not move the two gods clashing.

It was the cut that destroyed the nameless weapon and tore open Gilgamesh's chest. His armor came apart as a large chunk of his chest was ripped off. The spiraling weapon was stretched, could not maintain is form, and was obliterated from existence.

It would never be in this realm ever again.

"You…" Gilgamesh looked at what became of his greatest treasure… as well as the missing limb pried out. Shock, rage, and disbelief all clashed in unison. "You… Do you have any idea what you have—"

Sand and sea sprayed everywhere. A massive mouth opened up with fangs as large as bodies in hundreds of rows were beside them.

Shirou moved, scrambling away at the last instant. Alaya had only an instant to warn him before hand of the Beast lurking.

Gilgamesh, ripped of his privilege as a champion of Alaya, had no such luck. Wounded and in shock of defeat, he could not move.

He gazed up at his death just before the Beast clamped his mouth shut. A smile escaped his lips.

Blood splattered as his body was crushed between gnashing teeth.

0-0-0

Now that things had calmed down, Shirou could take a look at this Beast. At this Incarnation of Gaia.

It changed shape however it seemed fit. He recalled it being something liken to a great bird while they were in the sky. When it swam in the ocean to blindside Gilgamesh it had assumed the form of a mighty Leviathan. But now with the King of Heroes dead, it changed forms once again.

It took the form of a wolf. A large wolf taller than a pickup truck, but still remarkably smaller than its Leviathan form. Its fur was hard with each strand as sharp as knives, its fangs harder than steel, and its drool dripping acid that left smoke on the sand.

Its hind legs were completely gone. The sand shifted and assumed the form of legs, but continuously broke apart when it tried to move. Constantly it formed, crumbled, and reformed again.

The Beast collapsed, exhausted and heavily wounded having taken a direct hit from the nameless abomination. Blood trickled out of its burnt flesh, to which the sand moved to cover and attach like a second skin. Even the water obeyed its will as it streamed up the slant of the sandy hill and turned crimson while injecting itself into its wounds.

The Beast glared at Shirou. It was too wounded to hunt him but it continued to eye him.

Right now… Shirou couldn't hear Alaya's voice. If what he could gain from Gilgamesh was true, then perhaps Alaya's influence had limitations. Perhaps Alaya was weakened after all and could only provide assistance so much. It's not like he could ask anyone about this.

He was alone. He was _the_ Predator now. The last of his kind.

"Hold on," he said to the Beast, as though it could understand the human language. Though… the creature eyed him as soon as he spoke. "I'm going to find a phone. You're hurt. Someone will come to examine you."

If this thing really was the Will of the Planet, he couldn't have it go and die on him. It seemed to be recovering on its own but that looked more like some mild patchwork. The creature was missing its hind legs and flowing with blood. Shirou was no medic. He didn't know the first thing about stitching up wounds besides his own personal experiences.

Not that he needed stitches anymore…

He found a payphone. But he had no cash. He didn't think about bringing anything other than a few bills. This was remedied by calling a fine dagger and stabbing it into the device. The coin purse opened up with several coins spilling out.

For the record, using a dagger that can open _any_ lock just for a single phone call was a bit… much. This was once an instrument of a master thief. No shocker what he used it for.

He dialed the number and waited for it to ring. There was no answer and he regained a refund on his coin. He put it in and dialed again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

"WHO IS THIS?!" shouted Fujimura Raiga on the other end. "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT TIME IT IS IN THE FUCKING MORNING?!"

"Raiga-ji," Shirou replied calmly. "I'm in a bit of trouble."

0-0-0

The Earth Mother was searing with pain. It was more than anything the Third had inflicted. Pesky stomach cramps, welts, burns, cancers, and _fleas_ were nothing compared to having chunks of her body sent to oblivion. They were pieces of flesh that will never return. Though try she did.

The earth and sea obeyed her command. She called upon them to turn them into her flesh for this body of hers. Only a few grains and a few droplets manage to convert into flesh at a time. She will need to submerge into the deep once more in order to recover. But she knew not when the next time she will arise.

The Fourth had been her greatest challenge yet. The infinite fangs hadn't been just numbers. There had been a value to them. Fangs she and her Effigies had destroyed were brought back. It baffled her. Only by the means of a time paradox could something she destroyed be brought back again.

But the Fourth was no more. She drank in his blood. It was a putrid thing, his body both human and divine. Both of which had been her enemy for so long she nearly retched if she didn't need to sustenance to keep her alive.

What confused her the most… was this child before her.

He was not human, though he walked like one. He moved like one. He _spoke._ He interacted with Fourth, battled with him using human fangs, and listened to the words of Alaya. She had detected the presence of one of those blasphemous Predators. He was one of them.

But he was not human. He was… a fang. Entirely.

In short, this boy was an Effigy— a representation of a greater force given shape and form. Most Effigies were without intelligence other than the driving force to continuously feed. Even the Elemental Effigies— creatures of the five natures being twisted by human souls— were primal in their actions and devoured their counterparts in an endless cycle.

Yet, this boy resided in this realm as one of them. He had been with the Fourth the entire time and the Fourth did not suspect a thing until this boy presented his fang to the Fourth. How had he gotten so close? Effigies were the enemies of the Predators just as the Earth Mother was. Effigies were the enemies of all the humans. Surely the Fourth should have detected his presence and struck him down…

Or was there a reason for this… human visage?

A defense mechanism? She pondered.

She watched the boy closely when he returned. He said something to her, barking in the noise of the humans. She could not read him. He gave off no scent nor any intention whatsoever. She knew nothing of humans to understand their physical distinguishes.

By all means, this Effigy had completely merged in with the human settlement.

He had slipped in with their civilization and had gone unnoticed. Not even a Predator, backed by the knowledge and foresight of Alaya (though weakened as he was), could detect his presence.

There was also the thing she sensed from him during their conflict. This boy was a Predator. This _Effigy,_ this enemy of Alaya, had managed to convince Alaya he was one of his champions!

Ah. Now she understood.

0-0-0

Shirou sat on his porch some few days later, drinking warm tea. He wasn't cold. The cold couldn't affect him. He could probably survive against the artic chill in the nude and be fine. But he drank the tea because that's what normal people do if they sit out during the winter.

The Beast had vanished before Raiga and his men arrived. It took his crew seven hours to drive all the way up north from Fuyuki. Shirou shared his story on how he had gotten there. Raiga gave him a level glare but dismissed it in the end.

Raiga was a firm believer of magic after his two men had died that one night at the hospital. It only took Shirou calling upon a magical blade out of thin air to prove it. After that, Raiga muttered something about all the dry jokes Kiritsugu made about being a 'Magus Killer' and pondered how many of them were actual truths. By this point, Raiga accepted almost everything relating to the supernatural world… More like he couldn't argue against it as it was something beyond him.

He was more than glad to hear the Golden King was dead. But that joy only lasted the first hour. Shirou was scolded for the following six hours.

Sakura had been worried sick after waking up with him missing. He could have tried to tell Raiga to keep quiet but not Sakura. It was how Taiga learned of his sneaking out and put him in the dojo for 'disciplinary training'.

…He resisted every urge in every fiber of his being from correcting Taiga on how to use the wooden swords. He accepted his punishment and went on with his life. But it did take him a day or two to get over how Taiga _abused_ the wooden instruments.

Here he was, with the peace starting to return and the people around him starting to trust him once more. He looked up at the sky and watched the snow fall.

He looked down. The barrier did not trigger, there was no sound, and Alaya did not say anything. But there she was, approaching him with a primitive grace. She did not have Gilgamesh's divine perfection. But she was perfect in her own way.

She was tall, slender yet powerfully built. Her hair fell down to the small of her back and her eyes glowed with moonlight.

…She was also naked. And dirty. And her wounds had yet to heal. Her bandages were coming undone and he would need to change them once again. By the looks of them, she had been scratching at them in irritation.

"Welcome back," he said to her and patted the empty space beside him.

The Beast looked at him then eyed where his hand rested. In a single leap she crossed the distance without disturbing the air or the falling flakes. It was as though she slipped through time itself to appear at this spot.

She did not sit like a human. She had yet to figure out how. She curled up into a ball while laying on her stomach with her arms crossed beneath her chin. It took a few tries for her to get comfortable.

She kept her distance from him. Her eyes were constantly vigilant. Though… he could relate with her. She was studying everything about him just in the same way he observed everyone else around him.

"Alaya tells me something big is going to happen in a few years," he shared… even if she couldn't understand.

He said nothing else as he watched the snow fall. Neither of them moved. It was a strange relationship. So strange, in fact, even he didn't know what to make of it. It was only a few days ago where this thing masquerading as a person now was trying to kill him. Almost succeeded too. Now, she watched him with great care.

…It felt like he was now Gilgamesh and she Shirou.

"You hungry?" he asked suddenly.

She perked. Probably the _only_ thing she understood coming out of his mouth.

He nodded, stood, and entered the house. She followed behind him like his shadow.

The Earth Mother would eat with her hands, would throw him across the room if he tried to put clothes on her (let alone get her in the bath), and would sleep outside despite the cold. She loved to sleep beneath the snow, deep in the ground.

And by the next morning she would be gone without a trace.


	4. Chapter 1

**AN: Suck it**

* * *

 **Chapter One**

 **Servant Caster**

Caster stared out the window.

The Grail had supplied her with all the information required for her to not suffer from culture shock. But having the information implanted into her head hadn't been enough to prepare her for the metal construct her and her Master had boarded on for the past fourteen hours. It was a technological marvel where even the greatest of her spells had difficulty replicating. The ability to fly was seen as a True Magic in her period.

Of course, no matter how marvelous it had been at first glance, the glamour of it all wore off after the hours she used fundamental spells to decipher how the machine worked. That had been within the first few hours and she spent the remainder of the flight going over blueprints in her head to craft similar constructs. With her rank in Crafting it was possible.

Their flight was starting to descend. Soon they would arrive at their destination. Soon they would step foot on the battle that was the Holy Grail War.

But first, she needed to rouse her Master from his slumber. He had indulged himself to some of the wine and the mistresses he brought with him.

Her Master was a weak man. He was a spoiled brat who had everything handed to him on a silver spoon. Question his inadequacy and he would throw his money around instead of getting his hands dirty. Those who humiliated him were silenced with bribes to the insulter's family to disown them, threats by her Master's family, or backdoor dealings which would leave the insulter missing without a trace. Though… not everyone was susceptible to his methods. Her Master grumbled whenever someone more powerful than him insulted him.

Usually it led to him taking his ire out on one of his mistresses… or her.

It was a wonder _how_ such a man could have been chosen to be a Master for the Holy Grail War. But the Grail chose him for a reason. Out of the several billion people inhabiting the planet— a number that made Caster's head spin— only _seven_ could participate. Through some sort of lottery only the Grail itself and the founding families of the War knew the specifics about. And her Master had _somehow_ made the cut.

This, naturally, added fuel to his enormous ego.

He thought he was superior to any other Magus, including her. _Her,_ who had been summoned under the Class of Caster. He flaunted how superior of a Magus he was to her, showing her the secrets of his family's witchcraft. But when she corrected and improved the faults in his theories, she was criticized and abused.

After that, he rarely said a word to her. It was a miracle he hadn't used one of his Command Seals to force her to bed.

It probably had something to do with his lack of trust in her. He made sure to provide as little of Prana as possible and just as limited of time together. She had access only to a few of her mysteries… but not her Noble Phantasm.

"Master, we are soon to arrive at our destination," she materialized in the small bed chamber at the back of the private jet. "You must prepare."

He had been awake for some time. But he was being lazy with his arm over his eyes. The stench of sweat and liquor burned through her nostrils. The look on his face… he had overindulged in his pleasures once again. The headache would agitate his mood and make him unbearable.

She dematerialized and waited in the other room. He would come out, eventually, of his own volition. She just needed to be patient and hope his mood would lighten by the time he finished freshening up.

"Caster," he came out with a heavy stench of perfume to cover his musk. Despite his mood, he was still a Magus and one from a prestigious family. He made sure he was presentable with a new change of clothes and combed hair. "By the looks of it we've still an hour left. Could you not have bothered me until we landed?"

He would have told her off regardless when she came for him.

"We've yet to discuss our plan of action," she instead chose to say over what she wanted. "Once we enter Fuyuki will we be participants of the Holy Grail War. I've not heard any details of this elusive strategy of yours. If I am to be of any assistance to you, my Master, I must know my part in your plans."

He took a seat across of her on the swiveled chair. He crossed his legs while combing his fingers through his hair. A weave of magic spun through his fingers to alleviate the throbbing pain in his skull from his overindulgence. "Yes. That's right. We haven't gone over any plans, have we? I have a studio apartment set up that will work as our base. I'll need you to create a Boundary Field to secure the premises. After that… I'll be sending out the homunculi to scout the area."

She nodded. Well, this was certainly surprising. He had a decent plan of action. Now, from which of his advisors did he get this idea?

"Surely you don't expect to wait out for the entire War?" she questioned. "And do we have a contingency plan should our defenses be breached?"

He clicked his tongue, annoyed of her questions. Or more annoyed he had to _think_ for once on his own. "There are backups. A hotel suite in New Fuyuki. And some shack down in the pier if we become desperate enough. We'll have to set up traps wherever we go and lure other Servants against another. Your combat prowess is, let's face it Caster, third-rate at best."

She chose to let the insult go. There were a series of lethal spells she knew that could level buildings, charm phantasmal beasts, and wipe out invading armies. But that was only if the proper circumstances were granted to her. Her Master wasn't clever enough to use her to her full potential. Nor trusting enough. Had she access to her Noble Phantasm she could steal another Master's Servant.

But Caster was determined to win. In order to do that, however, she will need to be rid of her Master. As soon as the opportunity presented itself she would kill him. She'd like to steal his Command Seals but without access to her Noble Phantasm the chances of that happening are slim. Still… there was the method of doing them manually. It was a good thing she wanted him dead since the procedure would leave most of his nerves dead.

"There's also the matter of introducing yourself to the proctor—"

"I think a phone call will suffice for that," he snapped. He drummed his fingers against the armrest while looking out the window. "I don't trust that man. Whether he works for the Church or not… someone who was a participant of the previous War should not be the one in charge. Not to mention I've heard word he is the legal guardian to the Tohsaka Heiress."

"Very well," she agreed. However, she would be sending a few of her own familiars to keep an eye on the proctor anyways. "There's also one more matter to discuss. I strongly suggest we deal with the contract of our benefactors as quickly as possible, before the War distracts us."

"Heh…?" he rubbed his chin in thought. "I think not. If the Archibald family wanted this Emiya boy dead they should have sent one of their own. That's what I think."

"But surely you can't neglect the terms of the contract. A geis is a very potent thing to cross, Master."

"I've very well aware of the consequences. I'd prefer to pull off the hunting of a single boy until the climax of the War. If we go after him now then who is to say those Archibalds won't pull back on us? They may be backing us for the War just so they see some whelp get ganked, but their resources have been beneficial to my family as a whole. I'd like to leach off of them as long as possible. Maybe by the end of this, after we've claimed the Grail for ourselves, we'd be able to overthrow them. The title of Lord El-Melloi III sounds nice, doesn't it?"

What a man of petty desires. While there was nothing wrong with improving the resources of one's family for future generations, his goals were utterly wasteful. Just like his magic. The Grail was a source of potentially endless prana. If it had the power to call upon _seven_ Epic Spirits from the Throne of Heroes then the legend of it being able to grant any wish was highly probable.

There was no point in telling her Master any of this. He will be dead within the next few days. If not by her hand then surely by another— more competent, she'll add— Master and Servant pair. Honestly, facing death and losing the War was almost sweet when compared to having to deal with this child. Even her overbearing brother wasn't this incompetent.

"There's just something about the East that irks me," he muttered as he looked out the window. They could see the towering spires that was New Fuyuki's business district. "Why must such a grand ritual take place as far as the boonies of the world? Then again… I suppose other Magi would flock to this shithole if it were in the middle of England or Rome."

She said nothing. The Grail supplied her with a bland history of the Heaven's Feel ritual but nothing concrete enough to answer his inane questions. They were rhetorical, anyways.

"Caster, I'd like to be brief with you," he suddenly spoke after a few minutes of silence. He spun around on his chair to fully face her.

She turned her head. Her eyes were hidden by her hood but she gazed directly into his.

"I don't trust you as far as I can throw you," he said bluntly. But then he sighed, "But… you are my Servant. We are in this together. I understand I am not the most qualified Magus in terms of warfare. I also understand I will be facing my equals and— _begrudging_ to admit _—_ my betters."

She didn't react. But she couldn't help but blink. This was certainly different of him. After weeks on end of verbal (and the rare physical) abuse and all of a sudden he starts treating her like another human being?

…She wondered what he was after.

He went on, "You probably think terrible of me. Don't you deny it. I've seen the way you look at me. You and I can't get along. We never will. I've considered using a Command Seal to have you obey every word I use… but that would just be wasteful. It'd probably take two for me to completely bind you to my will. And these things are valuable beyond measure. I'd like to avoid using them at all costs."

She continued to listen. Her eyes started to narrow after every word.

"Despite how we may have gotten on the wrong foot, I'd like us to act professional about this. You and I both have a wish we want granted. There's no use fighting amongst ourselves. That's unproductive. I propose a truce. While we don't have to like each other, I think we could be civil and work together. As one Magus to another—"

The world shook as something pierced through the side of the metal bird and penetrated through the other end. One of the wings was spliced. There was fire. Caster was knocked out of her chair and sent flying in every direction. Her body rammed against the wall, the bar, another chair, and even her Master as the plane lost control and began to spiral downwards.

She only had a brief moment to gather herself. Muttering a few syllables, she called upon her mysteries and invoked a miracle.

In the next instant, her feet touched soft grass. But the vertigo of having all her senses lost previously had yet to wash away. She fell to her knees while she needed a moment to recapture her focus. Her hands gripped against the grass while her mind feared she would fall to the sky.

…It was only by chance her Master had teleported along with her. He had been clinging on to her robes in an attempt to steady himself throughout the chaos.

He either had the courtesy or it was by dumb luck that he managed to puke away from her.

There was an ear shattering boom seconds after. She instinctively flinched and called upon another mystery to shield herself, but there was nothing to worry about. The plane they had narrowly escaped had crashed onto the lake near them. A large tower of water sprouted out by the collision.

For sure the pilot, the whores, and what homunculi the Master brought had gone under. If they didn't die upon the initial strike they surely did by the crash.

"What…" her Master gasped as he sat on his rear, eyes and mouth agape at the wreckage. "What the fuck was that?!"

"…We are not safe here," Caster announced. "That was no accident, Master. Someone struck down the craft—"

"While it was moving?!" he screamed. "Bullshit! I don't believe even the fucking _Queen_ could do something like that!"

"But it is not improbable for a Servant," she concluded with a tinge of impatience. "They must have known we were onboard. They'll be sure to check the ruins. We must leave before—"

Her voice halted. Her heart lurched as she felt absolute dread crawl down her spine and clutch her innards. There was a presence every part of her senses had detected. She turned. There was… something there. There! Right at the bridge that watched over the lake. She couldn't see that far but every fiber of her body told her _it_ was there.

It was staring back at her. No. It had always been watching her.

Her instincts told her to run. That was no Servant. It was not a Servant who had struck down their carrier. The pair of golden eyes gazing at her was something she could not clash against. They transcended against the likes of an Epic Spirit, of the Heroes of old, of the Gods themselves! That was a monster in every definition.

That… was death.

Whatever it was… it moved away from the railings and began to stroll towards them. At such a leisurely pace it would take close to half an hour to reach them.

But it wasn't like Caster was willing to wait that long.

"…st…r... Ca….r…. CA…TE… CASTER!"

She blinked back to reality. Her Master had slapped her out of her fears. The light stinging of her cheeks was proof enough but her focus was still locked on the thing heading their way. She would have been aggravated with her Master for the gesture but there wasn't enough in herself to do such. Everything within her was screaming at her to flee. She was in danger.

"Leave…" her voice was so small she wasn't sure if she had spoken or if it had been a thought that never left her mind. "Must leave. Leave and go…"

The thing was drawing nearer. The pair of golden eyes had never lost sight of her even as it wasn't looking at her directly. Its gaze may have wandered to the road it walked but it had never lost focus on her. It was determined to reach her to hunt her down.

The gaze it gave her… it made her feel like she had trespassed into its territory.

She grabbed the wrist of her Master and began to tug him along. She hiked up her skirt when she began to fumble and slow her fleeing. She was so distraught she could not recall the words to invoke another teleportation spell.

She only knew once this creature had reached her, she would be dead.

"Caster!" barked her Master. "What is it? What's going on?!"

She didn't answer him. Every part of her focus was on getting as far as possible from the creature approaching them. Its speed had increased. It had been teasing them, letting them know it was going to be casual with them and reach them at its own pace. It could get to them whenever it wanted.

"That is no Servant," she said aloud. She wasn't sure if it was to herself, her Master, or to the great nothingness coming from her insanity. "I don't know what that is. We have to get out of here before it gets to us!"

Enough time had passed to where she could use a teleportation spell. They had reached the top of the hill when she had enough time to catch her breath and think more thoroughly. Survival was her priority and the mind did amazing things in the moment of dire need. The words were off of her tongue before she realized what she was doing.

Light glowed around them as her spell enacted. She felt the drain of prana of dragging them across another plane without direction plus the added baggage of another individual such as her Master. It didn't matter. She had crossed a great deal of distance in order to get away from the monster that had its eyes on her.

"Caster!" barked her Master once more. He pried her hand away once they had rematerialized. "Enough! Did you not get a read on their Noble Phantasm? What did they use to strike down the plane?"

She shook her head, "Not a Servant. It was…"

She wasn't sure what it was. The Grail didn't provide her with enough information to alert her to anything of this like. And her experience from the Age of the Gods couldn't answer her. Whatever this was, this was more than a legend made real. This was more than an Epic Spirit. This was more than the Dragons that could challenge the gods or the Divine Spirits that could tear the world asunder.

Dare she say this bore the weight of the planet itself. It was something as natural as the Will of Gaia yet as _unnatural_ as all manner of thaumaturgy.

"Not a Servant?" questioned her Master. "What else could it have been? There is nothing out here in Fuyuki greater than a Servant. The only things that can challenge those of your kind are the Dead Apostle Ancestors— and only those of the higher class at that. The War would have been called off if any of them were near."

That made better sense. Yes. It could have been an Ancestor. It could have been one of the remaining True Ancestors of the Crimson Moon. But, a part of her wanted to argue still. This power felt on par with Brunestud… if not greater.

"I know what I saw, Master," she bit back darkly. She wasn't in the mood to appeal to his childish ego. "I'll not try to argue with you if you cannot understand. I'll only tell you I have no means of opposing it. Now that we are far away, we should gather ourselves and revise the plan in accordance—"

Her eyes widened as the same sense of dread flooded through her.

The monster… it was back!

It had never lost track of them and had crossed the same distance to reach them. She spun on her heels and backtracked, her back hitting a tree and wishing it wasn't in her way to get further from this thing. Her heart was racing to such a degree it would have killed a mortal. As the Servant Caster, all it did was bombard her chest in agonizing pain and petrifying fear.

"Hi there."

Her heart nearly stopped at the sheer audacity of the monster.

It was a boy. A man to her culture but nothing more than a boy in today's society. He had the innocent eyes of a child as was natural to this age of peace. He had none of the sharpness of brutality her age had forced on the young. His eyes were large and his smile was wide. He looked ever as friendly as can be.

The young man got off of— the Grail answered her unasked question— off of his bicycle and took the time to prop it up on its kick stand. He straightened his clothes and walked with a lax posture to approach them.

He eyed them, scratched the back of his head with an almost confused expression, and spoke with a bit of a tired drawl in his voice. "I have to ask. Why do you guys always run? You'd think after so many times they'd stop but they always keep running. I'm going to catch you eventually so why run? I don't get it."

Caster blinked. Was this… Had she made a mistake? No, surely she didn't. The boy here and the monster she felt at the bridge were two completely different creatures. Surely.

"Hah…?" dragged her Master. "Boy, get out of my sight. I'm too busy to deal with you. Get lost if you know what's good for you."

"Sorry, I can't do that," he stood up straight when he was a few paces away from them. "I was told to kill you. You're a monster who would have sacrificed the people of this city. I can't allow that."

"…Caster, kill him," her Master commanded.

She didn't move. She was too busy studying this strange boy. Eventually she would have obeyed while quietly apologizing to his cooling corpse.

But when those golden orbs slowly slid towards her, she _couldn't_ move. That shade of gold… There had been nothing wrong in her assumptions. And this sense of dread! He had been masking his presence to appear as a mundane child.

This was, without a doubt, the monster that had been after them.

"You're not using that right," he said aloud. His eyes had closed in on the center of her cloak. She hadn't known what he had meant until her mind reset. His eyes were locked beyond the cloak…

…To her Noble Phantasm.

He had said it so casually it was as though he were commenting on the weather. Never mind he was about to kill them both without any hesitation and surely without any resistance on their part. It wasn't a question if she could struggle or not. He would crush her like a bug once he decided to do so. They were at her mercy and the only thing keeping them distracted was his attention on her hidden Noble Phantasm.

"Caster," growled her Master. He was so dense he couldn't tell his life was in peril. "Get rid of him. _Now!_ "

"…This is how you use it," the boy said once more.

Her Master screamed in agony as he was lifted up off the ground. The boy had crossed the distance in a single instance with the speed that surpassed the likes of a Servant. It was quicker than a blink even to her extended senses. His hand was towards her Master's chest with something punched below his ribcage.

His eyes were the exact same as he watched her Master squirm. Nothing about him had shifted. He was still as innocent as when he first appeared. Even as he was killing her Master.

"Hmm…?" he hummed when something else caught his attention. He dropped her Master to the ground while lifting his left hand.

She felt the surge of prana in the air but thought nothing of it as her attention was elsewhere. At the back of his hand were the series of Command Seals her Master once wore. The boy was studying them with mild curiosity, flipping his hand around to gaze at them at every angle.

She also felt the shift in pressure from within her. It was impossible. Her allegiance was no longer bound to this fool of a man and had instead transferred over to this boy.

When she looked down at her _former_ Master, her eyes widened and her skin blanched.

Lodged into his chest was, undeniably, the same hilt of the dagger she kept in her cloak. It was _her_ Noble Phantasm. It was Rule Breaker, the artifact the gods had created and given her to break any and all form of magic contract.

And as for the Command Seals… Indeed, they had been pried off of her Master and implanted onto the boy.

The connection of prana was strong. Stronger than she had ever felt. Even when she was first summoned and her Master had let loose all the channels of his magic circuits, she hadn't equal reserves as this. Whatever this boy was made him remarkable beyond measure. He had the capacity of a Divine Spirit, perhaps even the magic core of a Phantasmal Beast.

Yet, he was still something that was willing and able to kill them once his attention was lost.

"Caster…" hissed the slithering worm trying to reach for her boots. "Help me!"

In response, she created a wad of pure prana and fired it off of her palm. The combustion spell made his head split like a fruit.

The boy lifted his eyes up at her curiously. The lust to kill was still as strong as it had been before but it was also seasoned with mild interest. He was pausing just long enough to study her for reasons she could not comprehend.

It was all in the name of panic and desperation. She did not know if this plan would work or not. Only, every part of her had done this for the sole purpose of survival.

Mostly. There was a bit of satisfaction in killing her former Master.

"Master!" she declared as she fell to one knee in fealty. She bowed her head, trying her best to not quiver in fear. "I praise you for saving me! He forced me against my will to comply with his vile deeds! Please spare me now that you have broken me free! I swear to follow you in gratitude!"

It was all garbage. It was all something she had used long ago when she was once a princess. She could charm the likes of any hero that came to her kingdom with this fake personality. If it had worked then perhaps it could work still in this age. And if not, then there was nothing she could do. This was her last ditch effort in keeping her life.

His eyes narrowed as the lust to kill her increased. It was almost like a physical weight on her shoulders. Her plan was doomed to fail as he saw straight through her. He knew what she said was a horrendous lie. She wasn't a damsel in distress. She was a conniving enchantress who had tried to seduce a monster as though she were a virginal beauty.

There was a high-pitched noise coming from him. The boy blinked and lifted his hand. There was— the Grail told her— a watch strapped to his wrist and it was ringing. His lips became a thin line as he clicked it off.

"Huh… This puts me in a tough spot…" he grumbled as he went to her and to the ruined mess of her former Master. "I should kill you… but I don't have enough time to get rid of both your bodies…"

He scratched his head again, his eyes squinting in deep thought.

…Was her life truly to be decided on a whim?

"I guess I don't have a choice…" he sighed in defeat. "Alright. I don't know what's going on but… fine. You can go wherever you want. Just know no matter how far you travel I'll always know where you're at. If you cause problems again I'll be back."

She knew he meant it. It wasn't the tone of his voice (which was quite lax) nor was it the performance of killing the magus. There was something deeper at working here that told her he could and would cross over the globe and kill her no matter where she fled.

Her mind was rattled when a sword appeared in his hands, raised high over his head, and swung down without warning. A great hole was blasted when it sank into the earth. It was deep enough to cover two of him.

Without any hesitation, he went to work. He dragged the magus' body into the ditch and began to scoop back the earth back into the hole.

It might have been out of pity or it could have been out of fealty to a dominant being, but she used her magic to pile the dirt in what would have taken an hour at most.

She flinched as she realized she had done something completely unnecessary. He didn't kill her because he was short on time. Having cut into his schedule, he now found an opportunity to be rid of her (even if she would vanish immediately after being no more than a spirit).

"Oh, that makes thing a lot easier," he stood up and patted what he could off his hands. "Thanks. I really do appreciate it."

She took a step back when he looked her way.

"Well… a promise is a promise," he said after staring at her for some time. "Since you won't sacrifice people anymore… I guess I can let you go. My point still stands. I'll come after you if you cause trouble. Take care now."

He turned his back to her and started to head back to his bike.

"Wait!" she called out to him.

He stopped to look over his shoulder back at her.

She had no idea why she did it. Her Master was dead, she had the reserves of prana to use her most expensive of spells, and this creature was letting her go free without repercussions. It was everything she could ask for.

Almost everything.

She was still a Servant. She had answered the call to join in on the Fifth Heaven's Feel Ritual. She had a wish that wanted to be granted and she was determined to be a part of the War. Even if this creature resided here in Fuyuki, she would have planned accordingly to dance around it. She would have sent other Servants to fight against it or near it, in which case they would still fall before it.

But now? Now this creature was her Master. If… If he joined the War…

"May I accompany you… Master…?"

Her voice was almost pleading. It wasn't a part of her distraught princess persona this time. She was still unsure whether this was a good idea or not. He might think twice about sparing her.

He tilted his head as those golden eyes glared at her. All expression from him dropped to the point he was entirely emotionless. His senses were not dulled such as the likes of those brute soldiers who were brainwashed murderers.

He wasn't human. It was as simple as that.

"…Nothing would change," he muttered under narrowed eyes. "The danger would still be there. No one would be sacrificed but… I'm still needed."

He looked away. His eyes were almost glazed as he delved deep into his psyche to ponder on something. He didn't move as he kept to himself. For that matter, he didn't breathe. He was as still as a statue.

She could have sworn she saw his skin shimmer in a silver color for the briefest of instances.

"I guess that's fine," he turned back to him. There was a light smile on his face as he addressed her almost like a friend. "It'll make things easier for me. I'll be able to keep an eye on you in person and that'll make my job here easier. It's really difficult for me to travel anyways. Alright. Hop on. You're going to have to stick with me for the rest of the day."

He got on his bike and gestured to the luggage rack at the back of it. He was suggesting she sit there while he steered.

She didn't argue. Really, she couldn't. She lifted up her skirt a bit and did as was instructed. He struggled at first to find the right amount of balance but managed to kick off to propel himself forward. In a few seconds, they were riding down the hill she had teleported to.

…And the remains of her former Master was gradually growing distant.

"What's your name?" he called out from the wind. They were making speed as they descended. It was a frightening speed in mortal standards but he managed to steer perfectly fine. It was almost as though he had a Riding skill himself.

"Caster," she answered dutifully. She was in this for sure now. This was to be her new Master.

"You can call me Shirou," he said with a friendly tone. "Emiya Shirou. I don't know what's going on but I'm not comfortable with being called Master or anything like that. Just call me by my name."

She pondered for a moment in silence.

"Emiya-san," her mind automatically used Japanese customs.

"Shirou is fine," he called out.

"…Shirou," she nodded. "Shirou, are you not aware of the Holy Grail War?"

They reached the bottom of the hill and began to navigate through traffic. His speed decelerated to be able to steer nimbly through the streets and between cars. The smell of burnt rubber reached her when they met their first stop signal.

"Holy what?" he turned his head slightly. "No, I don't know anything about anything like that."

"Then how did you know we were coming?" she asked.

They took off again.

"I was told," was his answer. "I was waiting for you to arrive since three years ago. I set it on my calendar just in case I forgot, but the constant reminder wouldn't let me. I made a post on the Fuyuki Bridge while I waited for the right time to throw my spear."

She wasn't sure which part of his statement to question. A, the amount of time he knew prior to her summoning or B, the fact he managed to hit a flying vehicle by _throwing a spear._

Even among legends the likes of hitting something like that was ludicrous.

"You're not the main problem…" he grumbled in disappointment. "I waited three years thinking you were the thing that was going to ruin everything. But you're only a small part of it. Getting rid of that guy with you did a lot, yeah, but not everything. I don't know what else to do though. I guess I have to wait until I hear what else is in store…"

"…How did you know?" she tried her luck. "What sorcery did you use to learn of us?"

He didn't answer. He instead continued pedaling through the crowded streets. Every now and then people would stop and stare at them. She _was_ dressed in rather outlandish attire befitting of her stature and origin. It was unfound in this society but not unseen. Those from the eldest of countries still bore similar attire and traversed to this country as tourists. They were a rare sight.

Still, all this attention wasn't good. It was likely another Master was going to spot them and mark her new Master as a target.

At the same time, she wasn't worried. She almost welcomed the stares and if any other Master had spotted her. If they came after her, she had the best shield.

…Assuming Shirou was willing to protect her in the first place. He could just as easily watch her die since it wasn't moments ago he was willing to butcher her like an animal.

"We're going to have to talk more thoroughly later," he said as he turned around one corner. He brought his bicycle to a railing and gestured for her to get off. He did the same after her and began to tie it up with some chain from one compartment.

"If you promise to not do anything bad…" he spoke up while he wound the chains around the wheel and railing. "I'll let you browse the shopping area. Sorry, but I have to work for a few hours. Once I'm done we can go back to my place and talk. Do you need any money for anything? Are you hungry at all?"

"…No, I am fine," she chose to say. She wasn't sure how to treat this one. She wasn't sure if he was being cordial in the name of politesse or if it were simply a set of things to supply from a list.

"You're not going to steal anything, are you?" he asked with narrowed eyes.

"Master, I plan to be on my best behavior if that is what you wish of me," she said diplomatically.

"Shirou," he corrected. "Okay. I'll leave you to it then. Come back in five hours. That should be the time I get off. I trust you, Caster."

He finished off with a warm smile and a friendly wave. But there was no deeper meaning in his actions nor in his words. His eyes betrayed him as they sang the promise of relentless destruction should she go against his words. He didn't expect a response from her. Shirou turned his back to her once more and entered the small establishment.

Alone in this alley, her back hit a wall and slid down. She cradled her arms around her legs and put her head to her knees. Never before had she felt this helpless. Even when she was abused by the gods to fall hopelessly in love to _that fool._ Even when she was kept in a prison by her brother to ward off any suitors.

She felt like she had bitten off far more than she can chew.

It felt like she was choking. What did she get herself involved with?

0-0-0

She didn't know how long she remained in the alleyway. Perhaps a person or two had come around near her but none had disturbed her. The sun had dipped slightly, suggesting a fair amount of time had passed but her mind wouldn't tell her how much. She never bothered to go entertain herself with anything this district provided. She had long grown out of the allure of fashion after a life of ruinous royalty.

In the end, she returned to her spiritual form and became invisible. While the link between her and her new Master provided enough prana for her to live in the mortal realm comfortably, there were some things she could not accomplish while in the spiritual form. One such was the physical burden on her mind through all the stress of today's actions. She could think clearly now that false nerves and chemical reactions were no longer crossing.

She slipped into the building named Copenhagen. It was a modest bar with a few tables lining against the windows and a few booths shoved into corners. It was a small tavern with a wide selection of wines and a few liquors. A sturdy man was there handling the drinks while a young woman was walking around tending to the customers and delivering their meals.

…Even in spiritual form, Caster could not look away from the appealing plates. She could have sworn her mouth was watering as a hunger unlike any other swam through her. But, no, that was impossible. She hadn't a body when she was like this.

It was mostly curiosity that was driving her. She followed the link of her contract and delved deeper into the establishment. She brushed through the bartender without him noticing anything and entered the back of the room.

This building was newly refurbished, as far as she could tell with her secondhand information provided by the Grail. It hadn't originally been a place that offered meals. The kitchen in the back was small and cramped— more like the owners had turned two spare rooms into a larger one by knocking down the wall dividing them.

Yet, there her Master was, tending to every device with a steady hand.

His eyes lifted as soon as she fazed through the walls. His eyes locked on hers even when he shouldn't have been able to see her. He hadn't even used the Master's link to detect her presence. It was something else— something only he could use— that alerted him to her presence. He said nothing to her, merely nodding, and went back to his work.

"Shirou~" sang the voice of the young woman serving. "You got another tip~"

He gave her an uncomfortable smile. "Eh… Hota-nee, I'm sure that was for you. Go ahead and keep it—"

"Oh no!" she pointed a finger at him. "I'm not having this talk with you again! Shirou! You deserved this. Just take the tip and use it for your college fund or something. Besides… You're the reason Otou-san says in business…

"And how many times do I have to tell you to call me Neko?!"

"…You know I can't call you that."

"I don't see why not!" she pouted like a child. "It's adorable and I give you full permission. Not everyone gets to call me that, you know."

" _Everyone_ calls you that anyways, Hota-nee."

"Don't get smart with me," she chided him now like an adult. "You're still too young to take that tone with me. There's a difference, anyways. I _let you_ call me that. Everyone else does it on their own."

"That's because you encourage them too," he muttered below his breath while tending to something else. "Number thirty-eight is done."

"I remember when you used to follow me around everywhere…" she gave crocodile tears as she went to gather the two plates he placed on the counter. "You used to call me Neko-nee all the time."

"I never did."

"You used to call me Oto-nee all the time," she quickly said with the same saddened tone. "Why, Shirou, why won't you go back to calling me that?"

He remained silent, pretending the next order was keeping him distracted.

She puffed her cheeks and scowled at him. But she said nothing else nor was she genuinely upset with their conversation. It suggested this was a routine thing between them and she was only teasing him. She gathered her composure and returned to the outside.

"You hungry?" he asked in a low voice, just loud enough for Caster to hear him. "Just hold on a moment. I'll whip you up something real quick."

" _No, Master, that's—_ "

"Call me Shirou," he said in an almost automatic tone while he went straight to work. He gathered a few pieces of meat and vegetables with some premade dough and began to wrap them together. "Besides, I like doing this. I like cooking for others. But, most of all, I want to see your reaction…"

Honestly, she wasn't sure what to think of this boy. Correction, of this creature. He certainly wasn't human if he contained all of that power locked in this deceptive vessel. He had been able to replicate her Noble Phantasm without needing to see it, could provide her with prana to last her a lifetime, and could kill her with only a promise that held more potency than an Authority of the Gods.

And he was keeping a daytime job while whistling a merry tune as he cooked.

"Here, try one," he said in a matter of minutes. "It's gyoza. Copenhagen style."

Her attention loomed down at the dish. It wasn't as appetizing to the eyes as some of the others that had left the kitchen. It was only a small portion compared to the others that had been served. Then again… those were to _paying_ customers and he was doing this out of his personal pocket.

She materialized… and was immediately bombarded with the plethora of smells from the kitchen.

Her knees almost went weak as the mixture of spices slapped her across the face. Her stomach gargled even as she didn't need any sustenance. It only growled at her in fury to demand the food presented to her.

…Just one bite wouldn't hurt. It would be dreadfully rude to refuse. And potentially fatal.

There was a pair of utensils— chopsticks, the random information told her— but even with all the knowledge from the Grail she didn't know how to use them. She chose to use her hands to pick up one… dumpling? Strange thing. She picked up one dumpling and put it to her mouth.

"st… r…? C…er…. Caster!"

"…Huh?" she blinked.

The dumpling was still in her hand when she returned to reality. Bliss had swam through her like never before. Since being summoned, she had never eating anything. She never needed to nor was she offered anything. But even then she recalled the divine tastes of the banquets her father had housed as king. She was spoiled rotten in her youth and just as much in her later years.

So why was it this meager meal befitting of a commoner had felt like an intervention? It felt like everything she knew before had been horribly, horribly wrong.

When she blinked again, she noticed her Master had gone to the back of the kitchen and was scribbling something down in a small notebook. He mumbled things to himself while he wrote— things she could scarcely pick up that had something to do with her reaction.

"Too much butter maybe?" he said aloud as he snapped the book shut. "Or maybe I need something to counteract the garlic? Lemon? No. Pepper. I need to make it taste somewhat bad."

She didn't dare to take another bite, no matter how much she desired to. It took some effort to get her hand to let the dumpling drop back to the plate.

"Master?"

"Shirou."

"Why dilute it?" she questioned. "It seems perfectly fine to me."

It was more than _perfectly fine._ The Gods themselves would descend onto this mortal plane and demand his cooking.

"That's the problem," he said with a blunt and unsatisfied stare. "I thought if I made something really great I could get people together. That had been my philosophy for a long time. But then I reached my goal, only to find I made things _too_ good. I'm back to square one if everyone who joins me for meals is just a bumbling mess. I need to find the right amount of good and bad flavor so we can all share dinner conversations. That's one of the few things I'm missing from my studies…

"It's all your fault…" he growled through narrowed eyes at the knife he pulled for his next project. He looked at it with the same lust to kill as he had with Caster hours ago. The moment passed and he used it to mince ingredients.

"Shirou~" the serving girl returned— making Caster flinch and return to her astral form immediately. The young lady hadn't noticed. "I got two more orders up front. They want… Hey! Is this for me?!"

As quick as he had moved when he had impaled her former Master, Otoko crossed from the door to the counter as soon as she spotted the dish of dumplings. Her eyes were sparkling with a bit of drool running down her mouth without shame.

Shirou opened his mouth and was about to answer. He paused as he looked at where Caster lay hidden, thought briefly to himself, and responded thoughtful. "…Yes?"

"Oh Shirou~" she sang while pulling a toothpick out of seemingly nowhere and stabbing into one fried sampling. She had been prepared for this like a wolf patiently waiting when one sheep was isolated from the herd. "You shouldn't have. You know how much I love… Mmmmmmm~"

She moaned deeply while cupping one hand to her cheek. There was a flush on her face while her legs rubbed against another. She looked to be in absolute euphoria as she munched away on the meal prepared for Caster.

Meanwhile… Caster tried her best to not cry. But this was truly a betrayal most foul.

"Shirou…" Otoko moaned again as she put another dumpling into her mouth. She took a bit of time to chew but spoke up when half of it was swallowed. "When are you going to marry me and cook for me at home?"

"Probably after college," he said flatly. His eyes sharpened as he looked over his shoulder at her.

She began to cough when his response made her gasp with some bits remaining in her mouth. "S-Shirou! You're supposed to say I already freeload at your place! You're not supposed to go along with my teasing!"

"You do anyways…" he half groaned while he went back to work.

"Hmm…" Otoko quickly got over her fit and her trauma. She had another dumpling in her mouth while she thought to herself. "You know, now that I think about it, that doesn't sound too bad. Otou-san already likes you so convincing him wouldn't be too bad. And I don't think I would mind if it's you…"

"…Fuji-nee would kill us both," he said with a slightly scared smile.

It was strange to see some amount of fear in him to Caster. What sort of creature could this 'Fuji-nee' be?

"Oh yeah, that's right," Otoko sagged in her posture. "Taiga would totally be upset about that. You know what? Better idea. How about you marry us both?"

"I don't think it works that way," he forced a smile. "Besides, you're both sisters to me. Not to mention Fuji-nee is my legal guardian."

"Sure, go ahead," Otoko sassed as she ate another dumpling. She eyed the remaining one— the half-eaten one Caster had bitten. Otoko was debating whether to eat it or not. "Go and use the sister card on me. See if I care. You'll be mine one day Shirou. And all your cooking along with it."

"That'll be the day I call you Neko-chan," he gave a lighthearted laugh. "Um… Hota-nee—"

"Call me Neko already!"

"Don't you need to be up front?"

"Eh, it's slow today," she waved it off. "The old man is managing the front right now. Besides, I wanted to talk to you. Shirou, there was some blood on your sleeves when you first came in. Did you get into another fight?"

"…Something like that," he said with an almost angry expression. "He wasn't a very nice person. I came across him on my way from school. I stopped him before he could do any real damage."

He made sure to keep himself away from her while keeping his hands busy. Otoko took this as him being upset over the matter and unwilling to share anything further.

"You know Taiga will be mad if she ever finds out…" sighed Otoko as she decided to eat the last dumpling.

…Caster pretended to not care.

Otoko went on, "Please Shirou, you've been getting into a lot more fights lately. You think we haven't noticed but we have. You've just been a lot more careful in trying to hide it from us. Just because you don't go to the hospital as much as you used to doesn't mean you've changed. Do you still want to be a hero that badly? Enough so you throw yourself in danger?"

"It's nothing like that, Oto-nee," he turned his head around and offered a small sheepish smile. "It was just one guy who was being rude. He wasn't willing to listen so I decked him. He stopped right after that. I didn't do anything further. Honest."

Caster would have raised a brow. She caught on to his speech pattern almost immediately. The way he looked at this woman, the way his tone shifted, his choice of words, to even the name he addressed with. Everything was calculated in order to alter her reaction against him.

Her master was just as conniving as she was. Perhaps more. He had been so fluent in his actions poor Otoko had been swept away.

The serving girl scowled at him with a flushed face. "If you say so, Shirou. Just… promise me you won't do anything rash that'll wind you up in the hospital? Please?"

He gave her a beaming smile. "I promise."

0-0-0

It wasn't until late at night was he relieved of his duties and permitted to go home. The tavern was still open but the kitchen was closed— something a few customers had groaned about. Some had made a mad dash to this establishment hoping to reach before the cutoff time.

It shouldn't have been good for business if her Master was the only cook. But he was. From what she could gather, anyone else the manager had hired fell short. Whatever they made wasn't on par with whatever her Master made.

"Next time I'll add ginger…" he muttered while scribbling into that notebook of his. He had changed out of his work attire and back into the stained powdered shirt. It was the same set of clothes he wore when confronting them.

"Is there… any purpose in this, Master?" she asked once they were back in the alleyway and he was releasing his bike.

He lifted his head to look at her quizzically. "What do you mean? My job? Well… I get by with what Dad left me and what Raiga-jii sends. But it leaves a sour taste in my mouth. I work mostly to support myself and keep my savings for emergencies only. Besides, I like it. I make people happy, I get to interact with them, and I've something to do on these days I'm normally alone."

The more she observed this young man the more confused she was about him. He was a monster that could oppose the likes of a Servant. When she felt his presence from the bridge she had expected to fight against an Effigy of Gaia or a dog of Alaya. All she felt was imminent death.

Here, this reaper was working a daytime job out of a moral sense of obligation as well as personal pleasure. He lived a rather mundane life as far as she could tell.

But that was all on the surface. Perhaps it was because she knew he wasn't human could she see all the faults in his disguise.

All of his actions were calculated responses. Whenever he was talking to Otoko or the manager, his eyes were as sharp as a hawks as he absorbed everything about them. He was analyzing them and recording everything about them into a mental note just as he would with the notebook he had on hand.

He was doing this more than out of responsibility. He was there to learn what it meant to be human because he wasn't human himself.

"Now what are you going to do?" he asked him while pulling his bike away from the railing. "I never got to ask. What were you doing in Fuyuki anyways?"

"Master," she began.

"Shirou," he corrected with a somewhat annoyed tone. His eyes had narrowed and he raised his voice slightly.

"There is much we need to discuss," she went on after quickly figuring out he was as calm as can be. He held no real anger in him. He was only imitating the appropriate expression. "Those marks on your hands are called Command Seals. They are the mark of a Master who is to participate in the Holy Grail War."

"You mentioned something about that earlier…" he said while tilting his head to scratch his lower jaw. "Is that the big thing that's supposed to happen? I was told something was going to happen that'll put a lot of lives in danger. But he's always vague about the specifics. Can you tell me more about this Holy Grail War?"

"…This is not a topic to be spoken in the open," she said while taking queue of her surroundings. "It is a competition of sorts with six other teams. Seven Masters and Seven Servants. I do not wish to be discussing this in a vulnerable state. Can we move elsewhere?"

His eyes grew distant as he stared out into open space. It was almost as if he was scrying for something with the way his brows twitched in focus and how his eyes flickered here and there.

"Seven, huh…?" he asked aloud but didn't expect an answer. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them again. He was back in focus. "I'm underage so I can't stay long late at night. I guess I can take you back to my place. No one should be home and we can talk about this in private."

She wasn't sure if it was wise to be going to the lair of the beast already on the first day.

He gestured for her to get on the luggage bin of his bike. She shook her head and returned to the astral plane. It would be easier for her to follow him like this.

He shrugged and started to pedal his way through the main street.

0-0-0

He stopped abruptly right before reaching the Fuyuki Bridge. He got off his bike and went to the railings to gaze out over to the lake. The dark waters hid what lay beneath. Not even the tail of the plane could be seen in the dark night. Further down the road, to the shore and harbor, there was wild activity of officials at work.

"I'm glad no one else got hurt," he said with a relieved smile. "I was stressed my aim was going to be off by even a small margin. I was almost late to the moment best to strike, too. A lot of things kept me in school from leaving on time. I had planned to camp at the top of the bridge for an hour. I barely managed to climb up there with two minutes to spare."

He started to walk across the pedestrian path instead of getting back on his bike.

"What would have happened if you were off?" she couldn't help but ask him in her astral state.

"Panicked," he lowered his head with a thin line creasing his lips. "I chose that spot and time so that I could have the plane crash into the lake. If I missed the opportune moment I would have had to wait until you were moving from the airport to your base of operations. Civilians might have gotten involved. I was going to kill you in order to prevent that."

Caster was glad she had earned this boy's mercy.

"My aim was off, though," he grumbled. "I had aimed Gungir at your head. It's not supposed to miss. But I guess in my haste to get there on time I didn't prepare right. I was only looking for the plane, not you within. No, even then it should have worked. I wonder if this is what he wanted because of…"

His head bowed as his eyes glanced down to the Command Seals on his left hand.

It was not the first time he had mentioned a third party. He said someone had told him about her arrival three years in advance. The specifics on her end were slim— she only knew the Archibald family of the Magic Association had been the main sponsor to…

Wait a moment.

"S-Shirou…" she blanched. "What did you say your name was?"

He looked up at her with his golden eyes. They almost looked innocent if she didn't know any better. "Hmm? Emiya. Emiya Shirou. Why?"

It was the Archibald family who had sent her and her former Master off to their deaths. They had sponsored her former Master and had him sign a contract. He was to use his Servant (Caster) to kill a certain young boy named Emiya.

Naturally, it hadn't worked. The boy had been aware and had been prepared years in advance for their arrival. Their quest was destined to fail before it could begin.

"Yes… much to discuss…" she murmured.

"…If you say so," he dismissed her and went back to walking. His eyes flickered ahead and she noticed his pacing started to slow down.

It wasn't until his reaction did she sense it. There was a Bounded Field placed over the bridge as a thick mist covered the road. The sound died as no other cars traversed through. The bridge was empty in a matter of minutes.

This could only be the workings of another Master.

Caster materialized to walk alongside her own Master. His eyes glanced over to her but he didn't say anything. He kept his expression neutral— perhaps because he had no reason to express anything. His senses were significantly sharper than hers. There was no need to share emotion in the face of battle.

"Hello there, Onii-chan~" sang the voice of a little girl. She appeared out of the mist, skipping along as little girls her age normally would on sunny days. A sweet smile graced her lips as she eyed the two of them.

Her eyes widened and her lips spread further at the sight of Caster.

"A Servant!" she cheered. "How wonderful! I was expecting you to be ignorant, Onii-chan. But it looks like _that man_ taught you more than our spies learned. Looks like we can start early. I won't have to give you those three days after all!"

Caster wasn't entirely thrilled about this little girl. Something was off about her. At a first glance she knew immediately this little thing was a homunculus. A homunculus of such high quality that blew out anything her former Master had created, at that. But what bothered Caster was the innate feeling in her chest to not fight against this girl. Not out of survival, no. Caster shouldn't because it would jeopardize the entirety of the War.

"Hi there!" her Master gave her a friendly smile and a wave of his hand. "Eh… Are you sure you should be out here this late? It's not safe for a little girl like you. Do you want me to escort you home? Ah, I can also give you money to call someone if you'd like. There's a convenience store back that way."

"Master…" Caster said in a low voice. She wasn't sure if he was pretending or if he really was ignorant. It was almost impossible to tell with him. "This is one of other participants I mentioned."

"Oh, that makes better sense," he said with an exasperated tone. He even knocked a fist into an open hand to show he achieved brilliance. "Do you mind if I ask you a few questions, then? I don't really get what's going on. I'm looking for the source that will kill a lot of people. Happen to know anything about that?"

"…You're strange, Onii-chan," the little girl said to him with her smile dropping. "You really don't get what's going on, do you? I guess it doesn't matter. I was going to kill you anyways. Berserker!"

Caster took a step back as something massive and black appeared out of thin air. What had first been a swirl of black dust became a solid mess of a gargantuan brute nearing eight feet tall with bulging muscles. When his feet touched the street, it created small cracks on the asphalt and shook the ground beneath them.

"…Huh," was the intellectual response from Shirou at the sight of the Servant.

It made the girl across of them broaden her smile. "Allow me to properly introduce myself, Onii-chan. I am Ilyasviel von Einzbern. And this is my Servant Berserker, the greatest hero in all of Greece. Heracles."

Servant Berserker let loose a feral growl that was so low in pitch it vibrated Caster's core. It was nothing but a mindless beast, furthest from being the once burdened hero she voyaged with ages ago. Steam came out of its nostrils as its eyes glared in a primal rage barely restrained by the whim of its Master. There was humanity left in this creature. Only wanton destruction.

"Okay…" Shirou gave a single nod. "Um… I'm Emiya Shirou. It's nice to meet you? Is that the right response to this sort of situation? I don't think I ever found anything similar to emulate. Anyways, if you're going to kill me…"

His eyes narrowed at the colossus towering over Ilyasviel. Rather, his eyes were honed in on the thing gripped in its hands. It was a crude object; it was a giant slab of rock that had been cut from a larger foundation and wrapped with bindings for a handle. It was absurdly massive as it was twice the size as Shirou. But it was a comfortable weapon for the likes of Servant Berserker.

"You better fight, Onii-chan," sang Ilyasviel. "Or you'll die! Berserker! Kill him!"

The sound coming out of Berserker's mouth was not a feral roar of a beast. No creature, be they beastly or human, could replicate such an atrocious sound. It was the grinding of metal combined with the thunderous eruption of a volcano. It was destruction personified.

It raised its weapon high into the air as it charged down the path towards Shirou. Something of its size shouldn't have been able to move at such a velocity. But this was a Servant— this was a pseudo god forged out of the legends whispered by humanity. The feats they could perform transcended physical limitation.

"Master!" Caster threw up her hands and conjured what spells she could. Shields were erected and blasts of prana were fired. But they were all instant-access spells without any of the backing to do anything against Berserker. Had she been aware of this engagement, she would have prepared more compact spells.

Berserker tore everything thrown his way like paper. He hadn't even noticed Caster.

All the while, Shirou never moved. His eyes narrowed as he eyed the savage heading his way. His head tilted as though he were studying him.

That's exactly what it was. Shirou could not comprehend what this thing was and sought to analyze its behavior rather than put up any form of protection.

He did not move nor did he defend himself when Berserker swung his stone axe.

There was the booming sound of vacuum wind combusting due to the swing. A secondary sound of screeching metal came afterwards. Berserker brought his blade around in a full swing faster than a blur. Its edge spliced straight through Shirou across his waist while the wind buffeting afterwards ripped him to shreds and the surroundings.

Chunks of his body was tossed over the bridge. The rest littered across the street.

"…It's over," Ilyasviel said in such a quiet voice Caster might have imagined it. There was a disappointed look on her face. She was saddened the fight, if it could be called that, had only lasted a brief instance. There was no resistance.

Then came absolute rage. Ilyasviel felt cheated at having some moment she had been eagerly anticipating had been wasted. All of the anticipation and planning had come and gone as quick as a flash.

"How… boring," she said in another low voice. Her eyes flashed towards Caster. They narrowed to slits as she pondered on what to do with her. "…Berserker. I'm bored. Let's go home."

Servant Berserker loomed over at Caster for a moment. She could feel the lust to kill resonating from his being. He would have killed her on the spot hadn't he been tied to such a strong leash. He turned his back to her, in the same manner as her Master would have. He did not see her as a threat— could never see her as a threat. Exposing his back to her meant nothing.

Very gently, after returning to his Master, Berserker lifted the little girl onto his shoulder and began to stroll away off of the bridge. As they left, the Bounded Field started to become undone.

Caster did not hesitate to flee. She returned to the astral plane before they changed their minds.

0-0-0

Never would she think of using her great mysteries to fish. The Gods would be laughing at her if they were still around. The phenomenal forces that could defy the world was being used as a menial task to retrieve something from the river below the bridge.

She could still feel it. The link between Master and Servant was still as strong as it had been before. Her Master was still alive and somewhere flowing down the river. She had to be quick before losing him to the lake.

An ethereal string of prana grabbed onto something. It took a small effort on her part to determine it was indeed her Master and another moment to reel him in.

…Only, what she pulled out wasn't _entirely_ her Master. All she managed to pull out was his left forearm.

Ah. Her senses had only detected the Command Seals. But, ever so strange, she shouldn't have been able to sense them after they've been dislocated from the main power source. And yet they were still brimming with power from magic circuits still active. She couldn't help but to stare at the limb in amazement.

The sound of splashing drew her attention. A figure crawled out of the river, climbed up to the grass, and shook off the water.

"Oh, Caster, there you are," Shirou said as he pulled off his shirt to ring the water out of it. "I wasn't sure if they were going to kill you or not. Sorry about that. I guess I should have protected you. How'd you manage to get away?"

Phenomenal. That was the word she chose to describe him. She watched as he stood tall as if he hadn't been minced into several chunks. His body was in peak condition without a single scar. He had managed to regrow his limbs as well!

The only difference she could spot was his left hand. They did not bore the Command Seals. The limb she held in her hands kept them.

"Hmm?" he blinked as he noticed what she held. "That's strange. Usually something like that vanishes when I'm not looking. How did it manage to stick around?"

His eyes examined it and took notice of the Command Seals. He brought up his own hand to compare the two. "Maybe that's why? I don't know. Never understood it myself. So, anyways, are you all right? They didn't hurt you, did they?"

"Why didn't you defend yourself?!" she snapped. "You just stood there and took it! Do you or do you not have a means to defend yourself from the likes of a Servant?!"

His golden eyes blinked innocently. He looked taken aback by her outburst as he scratched his chin. "Y-Yes, I could have. But I didn't because… he seemed so strange. I wanted to look at him a little bit longer. Besides, it doesn't matter to me if he hits me. Yeah, my clothes are ruined but it's not like he could have hurt me. Bigger things have done worse."

Bigger things have done worse. She shivered at the thought.

"So you knew you would be fine in the end, Master…" she grossed.

"Shirou," he groaned out. "I really mean it this time. Call me Shirou. You started to call me that after I got those."

He pointed at the Command Seals.

"They're not on me anymore. There's no reason for you to call me by that. So call me Shirou."

She almost sighed. "Yes… Shirou."

He gave her a nice smile for it. They didn't say anything else as he continued to wring water out of his clothes (the boy had no shame whatsoever in being in nothing but his smallclothes in front of her). Once, his eyes gazed up at the sky. They stared for a moment at the moon. His body became lifeless the longer he stared.

"…Shirou?"

"It's almost a full moon," life returned to him by the sound of her voice. Rather, it was more like he was forced to return as if he had forgotten to live. "She'll be back soon. I gotta prepare. The last time she was here she threw a fit because I didn't have enough food in the fridge. Took three whole days for me to recover…"

He looked genuinely nervous this time as he rubbed his hand against his chest. It was the sign of a memory he didn't favor. There was a story there.

"You hungry?" he asked suddenly. "You didn't get to eat since Hota-nee ate your gyoza. When we get back to my place I can whip you up something. And then you can tell me more about this Holy Grail War. After that, we'll figure out what to do with you."

Her fingers clutched the severed limb.

"You are a strange one," she said aloud. "You offer me hospitality after you tried to kill me early this afternoon."

"…Strange?" he said with a sour expression. "You mean it's not normal? I'm not being normal? Then… if I want to be normal I should have killed you? That doesn't make sense. I thought it was normal to treat everyone favorably until they do something against you. You didn't do anything wrong. I only stopped you from doing it before you could. Then does that mean…"

He had a puzzled look as he continued to ramble to himself. His eyes shot wide suddenly as his hands started to tug on his hair.

"Gaaaaaah! My notebook! That thing destroyed my notebook! Even if he missed it's probably covered in blood or at the bottom of the river! And my bike! He destroyed my bike! I saved up for weeks to buy that! Crap! I gotta go back up there and gather the pieces. Can't have anyone drive through traffic with shrapnel on the street. Plus I'll be in a heap of trouble if they find my license number on there…"

…Maybe phenomenal was too good of a word for him.

With his hands to his waist to hold his pants up, he hiked up the hill to clean up the mess Berserker had made.

The War hadn't officially started and Caster had found herself on a grand adventure already.


	5. Chapter 2

**AN: Going to be busy praising that luminescent sun like an immaculate father.**

* * *

 **Chapter Two**

 **Full Moon**

The smile on Sakura's face was a wondrous thing.

What had once been a dead girl who had accepted there will never be an ounce of happiness in her life had become a doting ball of bliss. Yes, things were still terrible whenever she was forced to stay in the Matou manor for her training. But it was a dull ache she had learned to live with.

Most of her time was spent in the Emiya manor with her beloved sempai.

She was humming a tune when she approached his doorstep, knocked a few times, opened the door with the key he gave her, and stepped inside. She announced her presence and went immediately through the morning routine.

When breakfast was nearing completion, she went down the hall to check to see if her sempai was awake or not. She prayed he wasn't so she could wake him in her own way. Maybe she would brave a morning kiss.

No, she couldn't. It would be too embarrassing!

Granted, they had done more than kiss over the years. But, still, something like that was between lovers. And while she had made love to him repeatedly, it was a part of her training as a Matou Magus. Shirou, as dense as he is kind, could never understand her feelings.

He wouldn't understand anything unless she told him straightforward. But she could never have the fortitude to confess to him. She couldn't find it in herself to tell him how much she loved him.

It had nothing to do with embarrassment or the fear of him rejecting her. She knew he would accept her without hesitation. After all, he had given her a key and a permanent room to stay whenever she wanted. If she hadn't convinced him otherwise, he would have opposed Grandfather and forced her to move into his house.

She couldn't confess because she believed she didn't deserve him.

As much as joy as he brought to her, she knew it was nothing more than a fairy tale. Sooner or later the dream will come to an end and she will be forced to return to reality.

Such as now. Her Grandfather had demanded her to summon a Servant for the Grail War.

"Sempai…?" she called out with a few knocks on his door.

"I'm up, I'm up," she heard him grumble and make a few steps towards the door. He opened it shortly after. He was dressed but there were a few ruffles in his uniform. And his hair was a mess. He gave a yawn before giving her a soft smile and a good morning greeting.

She was fuming. She had wanted to wake him up. Alas.

"Sempai," she pouted anyways, "were you up late last night again?"

"Eh… Sorry?" he offered while that soft smile turned sheepish. He scratched at the back of his head. "I'm almost done fixing something for Issei. At least I didn't sleep in the tool shed this time…"

Sakura didn't say anything to that as she stepped forward and straightened his outfit. "You should take care of yourself better. Taiga will scold you again if she thinks you're being irresponsible."

"…I didn't sleep in the shed," he repeated with a mumble.

Her fingers folded the edge of his collar… but it lingered there. She hadn't realized how close she was to him. She could almost smell him.

"Sakura…?" he blinked at her. "Is something wrong? Did I say something wrong?"

Her heart swayed when she looked up at those golden orbs of his. His eyes were always so gentle whenever he talked to her. So open and friendly. He worried about her and was becoming flustered when she didn't respond. She could see him trying to find some fault he made that made her this way.

That's why it hurt so much more to her. He didn't deserve her. She was spoiled, rotten goods. Had it not been by Grandfather's orders she would have ended this relationship. No matter how much she wanted to throw her arms around him and kiss him and say his name and breathe in his presence… she couldn't.

"No, it's nothing," she said with a smile and stepped away.

His eyes lingered on her for a moment. His lips curled into a small skeptical frown. But he didn't say anything further.

"Shirou~" roared the loud voice of Taiga from the entrance hallway. "I'm hungry!"

"I didn't make breakfast!" Shirou gasped while his entire complexion turned ghastly pale. A shiny glean of sweat appeared on his brow.

Her smile grew as she assured him. "Don't worry. I decided to make it today since you weren't in the kitchen earlier."

He sagged in relief and disappointment at the same time. "But it was my day today… I guess that's what I get for oversleeping…"

"Shirou~" called out Taiga again. His legal guardian was almost skipping down the hallway. Her eyes shone as she spotted the two of them. "Hoh…? Sakura-chan, thank you for waking up this bumbling fool. You already have my blessings so make sure to make a man out of Shirou."

"F-F-F-Fujimura-sensei!" Sakura's face lit up. She could feel her entire head burn.

Even Shirou blushed. But he also scowled at Taiga. "Fuji-nee… it's not polite to tease Sakura like that. And I was already awake. Besides, do you really think— is something burning?"

Sakura shrieked and ran down the hall. She must have forgotten to turn off one of the burners! She was sure she turned them all off when she left the kitchen!

But, sadly, yes, she didn't turn off one of them. The knob was almost off but not all the way. It was salvageable still if she stirred the pot and added a few more spices to hide the burnt texture.

"You know, now that I look at it," Taiga said after entering and taking her usual spot at the table right next to the kitchen. "You two might as well already be married. You already make the perfect housewife, Sakura-chan."

Sakura's face burned again.

"Fuji-nee, stop teasing her—"

He had gone to chop her head with his hand. But Fujimura Taiga, the master kendo practitioner and kendo team instructor, had been too fast for him. She swerved out of his reach, grabbed the rolled up newspaper, and smacked him upside the head instead.

"You're years too early to try anything like that, Shirou," she scolded him. "And don't think to take that tone with me. I'm still your guardian and you're my ward. You need to show respect for your elders."

"Says the woman who freeloads off of—"

"What was that?!"

"N-Nothing…" he shirked away and took his own seat at the table.

"Breakfast is ready," Sakura called out.

At that instance, Shirou stood up, not bothered in the slightest even when he just sat down, and went to assist her in serving the food. Twice their hands brushed against the other and she couldn't help but blush. She loved it when they made contact. Even little things like this.

It was a selfish indulgence on her part when she sat beside him at the table. Taiga gave her the usual Cheshire grin while Shirou stared confusedly at Taiga for it. He only shrugged.

"Itadakimasu," they all shared and began their breakfast.

"Oh yeah, Shirou," Taiga began with mouthfuls of food. "Did you know they found out what caused that plane crash?"

"Fuji-nee, please finish your food before saying something," he berated her. "It's getting everywhere. And no, I didn't. What did they say happened?"

A few days prior, there had been an accident. A private jet had crashed into the lake under the Fuyuki Bridge. The only casualties listed were those who were within the vehicle. There was no collateral damage.

"They're saying it was some sort of explosion," Taiga ignored him and went on. "One of the engines gave out or something like that. Made it combust and blew one of its wings out. The whole thing just fell straight out of the sky after that."

"One of the engines…?" he asked with an almost amazed tone. Sakura had noticed the shift in his voice. "The wing? I thought there was a large hole in the main compartment."

Sakura chanced a glimpse at him. While most of his face was scrunched with mild confusion mixed in with curiosity, his eyes were sharp and almost glaring at Taiga. She couldn't understand if he was upset about something nor could guess why if he was.

"That was just a rumor," Taiga waved it off with a smile that suggested she knew more than the average person. "Kinda like how everyone's saying it was shot down by a missile. But, come on Shirou. I think someone would have spotted someone on top of Fuyuki Bridge fire a rocket at a plane. I mean, is that even possible? Something like that is only in movies."

"…Huh," he said quietly. "Did they retrieve the bodies and find out who died?"

"I think they did?" she questioned more than answered. "I can't remember. It was all over the news so they'll probably say it again later tonight if you wanna watch. But hey, weren't you supposed to be on your way to Copenhagen around that time? Didn't you see anything going on?"

"I didn't hear about it crash until after my shift," he supplied. "I must have missed it. I saw the remains on my way home, though."

Sakura kept quiet. She didn't want to leave any comments about it and pretended to be engrossed in her meal. She had a feeling as to what really happened. It was highly likely a Servant had used its Noble Phantasm to shoot down the private jet. There must have been another Master on the jet.

She didn't want to say anything because she knew how Shirou got. If he learned someone _might have_ done something to the plane then he would investigate personally. He was the local janitor, after all. He favored cleaning up everyone's messes, including cleaning up the neighborhood. He got into a lot of fights with small gangs over the years.

She didn't want him involved with something beyond a few thugs. If he went looking for trouble, he would find more than he could handle. A Magus was over what he could deal with. A Servant was out of the question.

…Perhaps she should have kept Rider after all instead of handing her over to Shinji. She could have used Rider to protect Shirou from other Servants.

0-0-0

"Welcome back, Shirou," Caster greeted as soon as she made sure he was the only one to return home.

It had been a few days since she decided to stay with Shirou. His home was spacious, lonesome even. It was rather vast for a single young man to live on his own. But almost every day that Sakura girl would come home with him. She stayed the night once when that Taiga lady (the word _lady_ being used loosely) couldn't make it for dinner.

Caster was intrigued to learn her Master (yet another word used loosely) had a lover. She did not think the concept of love was something he understood. And perhaps he didn't. Other than lay with her, he treated Sakura exactly as he would with anyone else.

It was such a shame to the girl. She was deeply infatuated with him.

In the meantime, Caster was rarely idle. She was constantly at work setting the foundation of a fortress with her magecraft. While the Bounded Field placed around the estate was impressive, it was no better than a mundane alarm system. Caster sought to leave a few more detection charms, wards against those with malevolent intent, and veils for magic resistance.

In a few more days she could lay a few traps.

"Hello Caster," Shirou greeted with a friendly smile after she materialized. "Are you hungry? I don't work today so I can make you dinner if you'd like."

It was her cue to say spirits like her do not need sustenance. All the prana she needed came from the severed hand she had preserved in a series of magic containers. But the offer of his cooking was a different matter.

"I would be more than delighted and accept your kindness," she said while trying her best to not sound like a drooling mess. "Does this mean no one else will join us? You must remember I suggested it would be best if none else know about my existence."

He tilted his head while kicking off his shoes at the entrance. "Today it would be just me. Taiga is having dinner with Raiga-jii and Sakura said she'll be at her house for a few days. But… tonight is a full moon. That one's going to show up at any moment. I think it'll be fine if she sees you."

Ah yes. This mystery woman he has been mentioning for the past few days. Caster was curious to finally meet the one her Master has been riled up about. He had never given a name nor shared any deeper details.

It was much the same regarding the informant. Shirou also didn't name him.

"I promise to be on my best behavior," she responded while taking a seat at the table while he went into the kitchen. "But may I know more about this guest, Shirou? Is there anything I should prepare myself for?"

With arms full of produce, he tilted his head once more and looked at the ceiling. "Just… don't look at her in the eyes. She doesn't mind if you do but will feel challenged if you do it for too long. It's best if you look around her."

It wasn't the answer she was hoping for. She had wished to know more in order to curb her curiosity. But, she could wait until later tonight. It's not like it was something that was killing her.

Speaking of which…

"Shirou, I feel I must remind you about the War," she called out to him. "I believe we should discuss our plan of action."

She had told him as much as she could about it. There were seven Masters who were in a pact with seven legendary heroes called Servants. She told him about the seven classes of each Servant. And she told him about how they were to battle another until one Servant and Master pair remained to obtain the Holy Grail and to receive one wish each.

She had no qualms about telling him her real name. But she preferred to still be called Caster on the chance someone heard him say her real name. Otherwise they could strategize around her.

"I suppose we should," he muttered from the stove. "I really don't care all that much about the War itself… But I've been told its part of why so many people are going to die. It's my job to step in and make it stop. If people weren't going to die, I wouldn't mind participating."

"Then does that mean you will not assist me?"

He was quiet as he thought it over. "No, I don't think it should. I can help you if you need it. But that really just depends. Caster, what do you wish for?"

She didn't answer right away. It was a rather personal question. But he wasn't the sort she could have kept a secret from. Despite their relationship, she was still at the hands of his mercy. If he found her a threat then he will remove her just as he killed her previous Master.

She couldn't lie to him. His analytical skills of the human psyche were too sharp. He'd be able to tell just by the sound of her voice or choice of words.

Therefore…

"I wish to go home," she answered truthfully. She felt cheated at having to confess something so intimate. But it was another thing she was willing to sacrifice in order to survive. She was determined to win this War no matter what.

His eyes were upon her. There was no expression on him as he put all of his attention on reading her.

Eventually he looked away and went back to his cooking. "Okay. I'll help you if I can. However, my priority is to the people. I will act accordingly if their lives are in danger. Do you understand?"

Her answer was sharp and crisp, "Shirou, I have no intentions of making you my enemy."

His eyes studied her once more. After finding what he was searching for, he nodded again. "All right. Let's talk about this later tonight after dinner. Ah, do you mind turning on the television for me? I want to see if there's a report on the crash."

With a wave of her hand, the television remote control flew into her grip. It had been an awkward first experience trying to comprehend the strange device. While the Grail told her all about it and media, it was an entirely different experience handling it in person. But after a few trials and errors, she was comfortable enough to handle technology like this.

She turned to the local news station and stared at the luminous screen. She wished some of the scrying spells were as clear as the pixelated images flashing across the room.

There wasn't much displayed. A few petty scandals, some riot in another town, more sightings of that new Red Blur phenomenon, the anniversary of some local bakery, and other trivial matters that didn't mean much to Caster. It wasn't until Shirou started to serve their food did the report he had been anticipating show up.

"An engine malfunction?" he sounded cross by the report. "I didn't hit the engine at all. I was aiming at you, Caster. I know Gungir struck straight through the cabin. I wonder why they're not sharing that detail."

"Shirou, are you not aware of the proctor of the War?" she questioned while trying to nab a roll on the table. He smacked her hand away as he was setting everything down. "He is the mediator who makes sure the Holy Grail War remains a secret. It's possible he manipulated the media into covering any chance of sabotage. He might think it's a product of the War since it was my previous Master who was onboard."

"Itadakimasu," he said as soon as he sat down. _Now_ she had permission to eat. "I guess that makes sense. You didn't tell me about that, by the way. Do you happen to know who or where he is? I'd like to talk to him. It'll make my job that much easier."

"…I do not know," she said slowly. She piled her plate high of all sorts of goodies while she talked. "My previous Master would have. I was not permitted to know nor does the Grail grant me this. Before I forget, Shirou, but what exactly is your position here? Are you the guardian spirit or something of the sort for the city?"

"Something of the sort," he said before stuffing his mouth with some rice.

She wished he would open up to her just as she would. It would have been fair.

But she didn't voice this complaint. He was her Master (regardless of what he claimed) and still the dominant force. If he didn't want to tell her then there was nothing she could do to make him. She also didn't want to prod at him on the chance it might irritate him.

She chose instead to focus on her meal. She had no idea what it was.

But by the gods it was better than making love!

No wonder that Sakura girl fell in love with this oaf.

0-0-0

"Such a feast…" Caster looked over his shoulder while he worked. "Is this all for that guest you mentioned?"

After dinner and after their discussion for the War, Shirou returned to the kitchen not to clean his previous mess. He instead went to work in preparing another meal. Or meals, plural. Every stove was lit and the oven was burning hot as he worked his own unique sorcery. He moved around ferociously, attending to everything with precision work.

"Well, I was just told I was going to have more guests than I planned," he answered without emotion. He was too deep in focus to put up his usual mask. "I decided to make everything just in case. Better safe than sorry. Any leftovers can be used for breakfast tomorrow."

He was just told? The phone did not ring nor had any of her sensory charms gone off. There was no magic in play.

…Maybe Shirou was ill in the head?

"She'll be here soon," he said suddenly. He lifted his head in thought. "I think. She entered the city a while ago. I wonder what's keeping her… Hopefully she didn't get lost again…"

"Shirou…? Where are you getting this information?"

He only offered her an apologetic smile before going back to work.

All the electronics went out as the mystic alarm had gone off. Someone had just crossed through Caster's barrier. Someone with violent intent. Someone competent enough to get around her magic wards.

Shirou scowled deeply and threw his handkerchief to the counter. Grumbling, he turned off the stove and walked out of the kitchen.

"Couldn't tell me _others_ were going to show up?" she heard him under his breath as he marched out of the room and down the hall. "Yeah she's the biggest threat but that doesn't mean you couldn't warn me about this surprise. She's especially going to be a threat now that dinner is ruined!"

She followed him closely as he put on his shoes and threw open the door. A deep scowl scrunched his face as he stepped out and entered the yard.

There was a pair walking into across the pathway. A man and a woman. The woman was at the front, dressed in a maroon business suit.

Behind her at half a pace was the man. Tall and lean with useful muscle honed by combat. He wore a deep blue leather outfit with iron pauldrons. In his hands was a crimson spear longer than he was tall.

Caster immediately recognized the two for what they were. They were a pair of Master and Servant.

"Can I help you?" Shirou barked.

"Are you Shirou Emiya?" questioned the woman with a thick accent.

Shirou studied her while rubbing his hands against his apron. "Yes. Who are you?"

"This is the guy you were talking about?" the Servant sounded disappointed while he tapped his spear against his shoulder. "I don't know… I think that story was exaggerated. He's just a kid. Doesn't have the warrior spirit or nothing. I think someone's pulled your leg, Master."

The woman scowled at him but didn't retort. She instead returned to Shirou. "I am Bazett Fraga McRemitz. I am an Enforcer of the Magic Association. Do you recall a man by the name of Kaname Shisharo?"

Shirou's brows shot up, "Shisharo-san? Yeah, I remember him. Is that what this is about? Are you here to take revenge for him?"

"No, but I have been sent here to retrieve you," she answered. But her eyes flickered towards Caster. "But this complicates things. You are a Master of the Holy Grail War as well. I don't think I'll be able to take you without force."

"Um… then what does this have to do with Shisharo-san?" Shirou scratched his cheek next.

"Word on the street was you killed him," answered the Servant with a crooked grin. "If half the stories I heard about him are true, then that'd make you one crazy bastard to finish him. You'd give my Master here a lotta trouble."

Shirou's eyes met Caster's for a brief moment. He went back to the duo, "You weren't sent here by the Archibald family by chance, were you? Look, I really don't get what's going on but I don't remember doing anything to them."

"I am not here by the Archibald family," Bazett shook her head. "I have been ordered by the Magic Association to retrieve you for questioning. They would like to know what really happened to Shisharo."

"He wasn't using his sword right so I showed him how to do it," was Shirou's answer as if it were the most obvious thing on the planet. "Kinda like that thing you have in that canister. It's crudely made. And that spear… It's junk. You're not using that right."

Bazett blanched. Her shoulders stiffened for a moment before she spread her legs out and raised her fists. She was ready for a fight now that Shirou called her out on it.

"Hah…" the Servant twirled his spear around before getting into a stance himself. "I kinda liked you kid. But now you pissed me off. Shouldn't have said anything about—"

"This is how you use it."

Caster received a firsthand experience as to what would happen should she ever make Shirou her enemy.

He raised one arm at eyelevel. At the back of his knuckles appeared a silver wisp. It shimmered like diamond dust and morphed around like quicksilver. In less than a second it became a sword without a guard. Its blade was narrow like a stinger while its hilt was spiraled to be able to twirl around the fingers.

He wasn't the only one to have move. Bazett uncapped the canister strapped to her back. Something silver flowed out. But that was all Caster saw.

A gaping hole appeared in her chest. _And then_ the sword Shirou had created was found impaled through the wound.

"BAZETT!" bellowed the Servant as he tried to catch his Master.

He froze in place with eyes wide as something he couldn't understand swept through the field. Absolute malevolence and lust for destruction consumed the place. The world was bathed in red as the prana in the air sang a song of death.

The next instrument in Shirou's hand was a hand-and-a-half sword with a barbed blade. This was the weapon that resonated the desire to kill. It wanted to devour blood and let life claw in desperation.

The blade did not soar out of his hand like it had with the silver one. Blood splattered from the Servant's chest with the blade materializing within.

"You…" growled the Servant. He should have been dead much like his Master. But still he stood, defiant, ready to fight to his last breath. He must have the Battle Continuation Skill, and one with a high parameter. "What the fuck are you? That was… This was the fang from my teacher…"

Shirou wasn't paying him any attention. His attention was locked on the back of his hand. He blinked a few times and moved it over his shoulder for Caster to see. An unspoken question was written in his eyes.

More Command Seals had sprouted on his hand. But Caster could still sense the connection she had with the severed limb hidden in his 'workshop'. It still fueled her with prana. This was something else entirely. Shirou had been chosen by the Grail this time to compete as a Master.

"Don't ignore me!" bellowed the Servant. He pulled the weapon out of his chest and raised his staff. He was panting as he was losing the energy to remain in this world. But with his dying breath would he assault Shirou.

Caster wasn't sure whether she should assist her Master or not. On one hand, he was more than capable of handling himself. On the other, she didn't have the credentials to fight what she could assume to be Lancer, one of the knight-class Servants. Even dying like this, she knew next to nothing about him. He could pull something unexpected.

Better safe than sorry, as her Master had said earlier. She chose to stay behind Shirou and see things through.

Something unexpected happen. But it hadn't come from Lancer(?) like she had predicted.

A powerful gust blew out the door to the toolshed that was her Master's workshop— which was such a silly thing to call it since he wasn't a practitioner of thaumaturgy but was adamant about calling it that. A blur of silver and blur shot out of the shed and collided with Lancer.

The spearman raised his weapon just in time for the tiny figure to slam into him. Bleeding and at the edge of his life, he fumbled around in his steps.

It was a tiny thing, to be sure. A petite woman in a blue dress and donned with silver plating was swinging around an invisible sword. Her strikes were fierce and powerful as each swing delivered a shockwave that shook the ground.

A deep gash cut into Lancer as his defense fell. He stumbled back to gain distance and to attempt regain his footing.

"Fuck…" he swore. "Two Servants? The fuck is going on?"

"Retreat," commanded the petite knight. "I will not strike down a wounded warrior, even if you are an enemy Servant."

"Heh…" Lancer gave a feral grin. It mixed in with grief. "Barely two days since I was summoned and already shit's gone bad. Didn't even get to nail my Master. She was kinda cute…"

"Shirou…" whispered Caster as an idea came to her. She pulled out her Rule Breaker and nodded her head towards Lancer.

Shirou scratched his cheek while he thought for a moment. He shrugged and conjured his own version of Rule Breaker. It was a beautiful blade that outranked hers by a large margin. For one, it was a straight blade rather than the jagged crystalline. And it glowed with the energies of the cosmos and colors not meant for the eyes of mortals.

With a flick of his wrist, Shirou _casually_ launched it across the field and straight into Lancer's head. The Servant's head buckled sideways before he fell to the floor. In a matter of seconds he became dust as his body vanished.

"That's not what I was implying!" Caster spun on him. "Shirou! With your reserves we could have had Lancer under your command!"

Shirou blinked at her. "Lancer? Caster, did you know that guy?"

"He had a spear," she said while rubbing her head. Of course _that_ was what concerned him. "I'm only assuming he was the Servant Lancer. Why… Why did you kill him?"

"I must concur," stated the other Servant. She turned sharply on her heels with her eyes narrowed. She walked briskly with square shoulders and her head held high. "That was a most dishonorable tactic. He hadn't the strength to continue."

Her eyes flashed towards Caster. Her expression was unreadable as she took in the presence of another Servant. But whatever went through her mind couldn't be guessed. She dismissed Caster for another time and returned to Shirou.

Shirou, meanwhile, had his head bowed with his fingers curled under his chin. His brows were furrowed in thought. "You're upset. I did something that upset you? I'm sorry that I did. If you're angry that I killed him, I had a reason."

"He invaded first," Caster defended.

"What? No," Shirou looked at her with a more blunt glare. "That I wouldn't have minded. That happens all the time. I'm more upset he ruined dinner. I need to get to the circuit board and turn everything back on. I have to finish cooking before she shows up. Can I ask you to clean up this mess? I'd appreciate it."

"…Happens all the time?" Caster repeated. "What sort of life… No, I'd rather not know. Yes, I will see to it the body is given a proper burial. I'll make it so she was never here in the first place."

"Please do," he turned and bowed to her. "I don't want to think what might happen if Fuji-nee started asking questions."

"Hold!" called the petite knight. "Are you the one who summoned me? Are you my Master? I have questions for you. Such as how and why another Servant is present…"

"Oh yeah huh…" Shirou looked at her with a clueless expression. He raised his hand and eyed the new set of Command Seals. "I guess I am? Did you just come out of my workshop? How in the world did that happen? I'm not a Magus so I can't figure… Ah, another time. I need to finish making dinner. Are you hungry? I'm preparing extra. You're probably the additional guest I was told about."

Caster eyed him. There was _no way_ his comment earlier was accurate. Maybe he wasn't insane after all in hearing a voice in his head? Maybe her Master had precognitive abilities?

"Which Servant are you?" he asked suddenly.

"Servant Saber," she answered immediately. "Master, it is imperative we discuss our conditions for the War as soon as possible. I am also concerned over…"

She eyed Caster.

"Shirou," he corrected with the same tone he used with Caster on the first day. "Call me Shirou. I don't really want to be called Master or anything like that."

"…Shirou," she repeated and nodded once. "Very well then. Yes. I do like the sound of that better. I shall comply with such."

"Sure thing," he said while patting his hands on his apron. "Come inside. I'll make you something and we can talk as soon as—"

He stopped immediately with his eyes snapping towards the front gate. All expression washed away from him.

"Caster, Saber," he spoke in a low and dangerous voice. "Get inside. She's here."

Oh. Well. The mystery woman arrives and it puts her Master on edge. If the likes of a Servant hadn't done that… what sort of abomination could do that?

Saber's head was peering towards the gate as well. Her body posture shifted as the grip on her invisible weapon tightened. "There's another Servant. Shirou, stay here while I dispatch them. Unti I learn of our situation, please stay here, Caster."

"Wait!" Shirou called out to stop her.

But she bolted. A burst of prana shot out of her feet as she all but flickered across the field like a blur. She was out of the gate in the blink of an eye.

And her Master had moved just as fast after her.

0-0-0

Tohsaka Rin was not having the best week. First, that annoying priest kept badgering her about fulfilling her duty as the Tohsaka heir and summoning a Servant. She always had the intentions of doing so but found it annoying at being reminded on a daily basis.

Second, when summoning said Servant, she made a mistake. She had missed the time in which her magic was at her strongest by an hour. Her calculations had been off and she fumbled in her casting. The end result was to have her summon Servant Archer instead of her desired Saber. It didn't matter if he was one of the three knight-class Servants.

…It also didn't help that he popped up above her house and crashed through the roof. Nor that he couldn't remember anything about himself due to her fuck up.

By all means, Archer was still an amazing Servant. He was strong willed and viewed everything with an analytical professionalism (read: cynicism). This included towards her when they first met. She had to earn his trust and respect in order to fulfill his duty as her Servant. In the end she won and was able to take him out on something of a test-run.

They hopped through the rooftops of New Fuyuki's business district in order to pinpoint ideal locations of battle and for Archer to get a familiar layout of the land. She was more so amazed he was able to count how many bolts were on Fuyuki Bridge when they stood on top of a skyscraper several miles away. But that was due to his Clairvoyance ability.

The Archer class is really comprised of archers. Who'da thunk?

Now, the _third_ reason why her week had been unfavorable would have to be because, oh, _it was boring!_

She had been prepared her entire life for this death match against Magi of her caliber and, begrudgingly, her betters. Her heart was booming every night with anticipation when she went on patrols with Archer. But nooooooo. There wasn't a single Servant in sight!

Three days wasted. Where the hell was everybody?!

"They're probably hiding," Archer commented. "Most of the time spent in war is preparation. Only a small margin of that is actual combat. We're probably the only ones out and about looking for trouble."

He had a point. They needed to find someone quick before their preparations could be complete. Strike while the iron is hot, she thought. Or, rather, to better say, hit them while their pants were down. If they could take them by surprise this early on in the War then the advantage was in their favor

It really didn't amount to much when her nightly patrols couldn't find anything.

However… Something did manage to catch her eye one school morning. When she stepped through the gates, she felt like she had just crossed through a layer of barbed wires that didn't want to let go of her. The air was suffocating with malevolent energies.

It took most of her training to not flinch. The only reaction that came from the perfect Tohsaka Rin was a slight widening of her eyes.

Someone had begun to set up a Bounded Field in the school. An extremely vicious one at that. It was a trap that was still in the midst of being prepared. But once it was and the weaver was finished, the amount of damage it could bring could kill everyone in the school.

Something of this magnitude being crafted so quickly… it could only be the workings of a Servant. A Caster, she leaned towards but thought differently. This almost felt sloppy and it made her, as a Magus, crinkle her nose (mentally anyways; she wouldn't dare do it in public). She couldn't imagine what a Heroic Spirit famed for their works in spellcraft would think about this.

Either way one of the students or faculty members was a Master.

Rin went through the charade of the perfect student for the remainder of the day. She smiled at her friends, offered advice to those who requested it, answered the teachers' questions, and chatted away about the latest gossip of rumors. She was the ideal teenage student.

But, while she went through these movements as easily as she breathed, her mind was racking up a strategy. She needed a plan of action for when she brought Archer with her to the school later tonight to investigate the scene.

0-0-0

"Tomorrow's a full moon," Archer commented suddenly.

She looked up at him from his spectral state. "What about it? Does it mean something to you?"

He was silent for a moment. "It's nothing. I thought it might mean something to you, Master."

She didn't know what he was trying to imply with that lie. She had a feeling he remembered something about himself but wasn't willing to share. Or, just maybe, it really was nothing. Maybe just a spark of a memory but not enough to define it. Maybe he had an impulse to check the phase of the moon as it was a part of his history but not enough memory to answer the why.

There was no point fretting over it. She let it go and crossed through the Bounded Field of her school. She had Archer help her hop over the gate while he leapt over it on his own in a single bound.

It was entirely indignant when the drop had her landing on her knees. She should have instructed him to carry her over instead. She'd been in his arms the entire time when they were parkouring across rooftops. A simple school wall shouldn't have been any different.

She stood quickly and brushed off the dirt with the dignifying posture of a Tohsaka. She _didn't_ stumble. Ridiculous. It never happened.

"What are we looking for?" Archer asked with his business tone.

…But he still had that smirk. He wasn't even trying to hide it.

"The Bounded Field placed around here is incomplete," she answered immediately… looking straight ahead to hide her blush. "It only makes sense they would be building it while no one's around. No distractions. If they're not here then we can at least investigate freely. I might be able to figure out how to tear it down."

Having that said… she wasn't sure what to be looking for. Had it been a normal Magus then she would have an inkling suspicion. But this was a Servant with _secondary_ magic abilities. Not only would they have an archaic way of thinking because of coming from a different age, but they would also have an obscure method of procedure because magic wasn't their forte.

The fundamentals should still be the same. The first was to set up a shop by making an anchor— the motherboard that ran most of the magic. And after that would be to set up smaller anchors that would channel that power around the field.

Worst case, she could at least slow their process until she either found the Master-Servant pair or figured out how to tear down this barrier.

"I don't think that'll be necessary," Archer said as he took a few paces forward and stepped in front of her.

There was the sound of rushing wind as a black blur came from the school rooftops. In a single leap did this creature jump from five stories and landed as gracefully as a cat to the quad. Her body was sprawled on all four limbs.

Without a doubt this was a Servant. Her body was tall and slender. She was dressed in a black dress with a short skirt that showed off her legs. Her hair was longer than she was tall and across her face was a metal blindfold. Yet, Rin could feel the eyes hidden within stare at them both.

She said nothing as she came at them in a single leap. With a twirl of her hand, she launched something at them with blinding speed.

Archer swung his arm around and deflected what it was— a large nail attached to a chain— with equally blinding speed. In his hand was a black dao lined with scarlet graphs.

A sword? Archer was using a _sword_? And a Chinese weapon at that? In no way shape or form was he remotely Chinese with his bone structure, that face, and his choice of attire.

Then again… Rin had next to no idea where to guess on what side of the planet he originated from.

"I'm not much of a fan of pushy women," Archer snided as he slapped away another thrown nail. "I get enough dealing with my Master."

…Rin chose to not comment.

The Servant came at him at close range this time. Her body was like the wind as she leapt around left and right, almost dancing as she twirled around to confuse Archer at how she was to approach him. He only stood his guard and waited for her to come.

She spun and brought her leg up for a kick. Archer ducked and brought his sword around to swipe at her while she was open. His attack was deflected by the chain— it wrapped around his weapon.

A powerful tug from the Servant had it pried out of his grip. The battle continued without pause as she kept her momentum, spun once more, and brought her leg around for another kick.

Blood splattered across the floor as Archer raised his other hand. A white dao appeared in his grip and slashed cleanly through her thigh. But, the Servant had anticipated this and had shifted her balance at the last second. The cut had only gotten so deep. Enough to hinder a normal human but nowhere near enough to stop the likes of a Servant.

"Tch," Archer gritted his teeth as he went through another series of swings.

The Servant began to backpedal to gain distance while flailing her chain and nail around.

Sparks lit up the night as Archer swung both his arms around. The black dao blade he had lost was back in his hand. Rin realized quickly they were a matching set.

Archer shifted in his stance. He tucked his body low while sliding both blades across of him close to his chest. His legs were spread, ready to kick off the ground in reaction to whatever the Servant sent next.

She didn't engage. Her head dipped slightly as though confused with his actions. Perhaps she sensed something.

She instead took a single step back and raised her weapon.

"Well if you won't come to me then…"

Archer threw his white sword at the Servant, who deflected it quickly up into the air. He rushed at her with his black sword raised for a strike. She danced around him, twisting her body in an elegant spin and back bending like a ribbon. She twirled, bringing both chain and nail around to swipe at him, to which he anticipated and deflected.

She brought it around again like a whip. He deflected it further, countered, tried to get into her defense. But she kept moving, hardly ever staying on two feet with the way she hopped around him. She was outmaneuvering him with her superior agility but just as much she couldn't get through his defense. It was as though he always knew where she was going to strike.

There was a whistle in the air. The enemy Servant didn't show any surprise as she slithered away from Archer. She had effortlessly dodged the white blade that had been deflected seconds ago. It had come back with the speed of a bullet. Had she been any slower then she would have been skinned. Instead, the white dao slid into the ground.

Archer picked it up and went back through his stance for another engagement.

Something caught both their attentions before they continued. Both of them looked towards the east.

At first, Rin didn't see anything. But as she looked where they were peering at… she felt something. Something that wasn't of magical nature. Yet it was potent enough to afflict her most primal instincts.

It made her heart race with sweat starting to clam her palms. It was as though she had walked through this retched Bounded Field for the first time… a hundred fold.

She wanted to scream and flee. But, the more rational part of her, the intellectual curiosity side of her that made her as a Magus, wanted to see what this thing was.

 _She_ came out of the wind. It was just a swirl of leaves and petals from the trees and flowers decorating the school yard. They danced around the quad while gradually growing closer to the group. And then a body began to take shape.

It was a woman. She was covered in dirt with matted hair and stained skin as if she had been living her entire life out in the wilderness. But she walked with the grace of a dancer— no, more like with the steps of one who knew they could walk on water.

Her eyes, the color of moonlight, shone with a primeval intellect.

Just looking at those eyes alone could tell so many stories. But, for one, there was without a doubt this woman was not human. She lacked the one thing that could never make her human. The soul, perhaps? Or was it something deeper than that? Rin didn't know.

The only fault with this woman would be her attire. She wore a yellow and blue striped dress that was shredded and just as filthy. She also wore it as if it were the most uncomfortable thing in existence. It showed with the way her hands kept tugging at the hem.

Those moonlit eyes of hers flickered towards them. Instantly, they landed on Archer's.

Whatever he saw in those eyes made his face pale. His blades vanished as he dismissed him, turned his back to the enemy Servant, and rush towards Rin. Panic was in his face. He needed to get them out of there.

Rin did not blink. But she might have with how the woman suddenly appeared to stop Archer. She was there behind him, one hand reached out and grabbing on to the back of his neck. As though he were weightless, she pulled him close to her.

Rin wasn't sure whether she should use a Command Seal to force Archer to vanish. Yes, she could. But then she would be left alone without protection against this creature.

The woman turned her head over her shoulder. Those eyes peered up, following the enemy Servant who climbed up the school walls in fleeing. In a few seconds, she was gone, and the woman paid her no mind.

"Ahhhhhh," said the woman, who turned back to Archer. Her face was expressionless as she opened her mouth wide.

Meanwhile, Archer was squirming in her inhuman grip. His hands clutched around her arm as she was squeezing him hard enough to have his face contort in pain.

The woman recognized this and decided to let him go. Archer immediately leapt back but never looked away from her. His hands were spread and body was tucked low, ready to defend himself if needed.

"Ahhhhhh," repeated the woman, this time pointing one finger to her mouth.

"…I think she's hungry," Rin said.

"Ahhhhh!" the woman said with a bit of excitement. Apparently Rin had guessed right.

And, hopefully, this woman doesn't eat teenage Magi.

"Well we better find something and fast," Archer said tensely. "I don't know what she is. But, Rin, you can feel it, can't you?"

Definitely. Rin could definitely feel something from this woman. Of course, calling this _thing_ a woman was a flat-out lie and a half. There's no way whatever this monster could be human.

Her presence alone made two Servants want to flee. Hell, her presence alone made Rin want to hide and pray she would go away. It was taking all of her mental training to not do just that.

That… and if they lived through this Archer would tease her about it until the end of the War.

"But why come to us?" Rin couldn't help but question. "If she's hungry she could go attack some helpless person walking down the street. Hey, Archer, do you think this is that person who's been bleeding people dry lately?"

Rin pretended to not think she was today's helpless person.

"Ahhhhhh!" the woman said once more, her brows furrowed with impatience. She approached Archer with steady steps; it made him tense and summon his twin blades again. The woman paid them no mind as she reached up to him…

…And just tugged on the edge of his coat.

"…It seems like she knows you," Rin commented. "Think maybe she's some Dead Apostle Ancestor who knew you in the past?"

"Doesn't feel like it…" Archer said while slowly lowering his arms. His eyes never looked away from the woman however. "But I can't rule that out. Besides, something like that would have just taken my blood. It's not like I could have opposed her…"

Yeah, no kidding. The skin on his neck was starting to bruise.

Frustrated no progress was being made, the woman turned and pointed at one nearby tree.

A bolt of lightning cascaded down from the open sky and struck the tree. Instantly it ignited.

"Ahhhhhh!" said the woman while tugging on Archer and pointing at the burning tree.

That was… That was either a Marble Phantasm or an Authority. This was no Phantasmal Beast masquerading in a human body. This wasn't even a Dead Apostle Ancestor. This could be something created through the Will of Gaia directly or a Divine Spirit in flesh.

Either way, this was beyond Rin's job description.

Archer wasn't taking it any lighter. He paled as he came to some conclusion on his own. His eyes flickered to the woman, the hand latched onto his coat, to the finger pointing outwards, and then to the burning tree.

"She means to eat me after all!" he concluded. "She wants to cook me!"

"Ahhhh!" the woman brightened at the trigger-word 'cook'.

"Rin…" Archer gulped as his handling on his weapons shifted. "As soon as I grab you, use a Command Seal to get us out of here. Start walking towards me _slowly._ "

Rin nodded once and began to do just that. She took the tiniest steps though. It was almost as if she wasn't moving at all. Her body creaked with how much effort she was putting into it.

The woman sensed something was going on. Or she wasn't as clueless as she let on. Her entire behavior could have been a farce.

Without warning, she closed the distance, gripped Archer's shoulders, and hefted him high over her head as though he were no lighter than a bed pillow.

"Rin! Do it now! She's gonna throw me into the—"

…And then slam him back down to the ground hard enough to leave a crater. Archer hacked up blood as something within him broke.

The woman bent over, grabbed the hem of his coat one more, and gave the same gentle tug.

"Ahhhhhh…" she said with a more annoyed expression this time.

0-0-0

Twenty minutes of playing charades later, and having the vending machine used as a bat against Archer when they guessed wrong, the pair broke into the school to access the kitchens.

As it turned out, this woman wanted Archer to cook for her. She sat patiently on the floor almost like a dog while her moonlit eyes watched him work.

Rin didn't bother to stick around. Like _hell_ she was going to be anywhere near this thing who was as crazy as she was powerful. Rin excused herself to clean up the damages such as the burning tree and the vending machine. There wasn't much she could do on her end. All she could do was stop the tree from burning and realign all the glass that had shattered.

She took as much time as she could. A part of it was to get into the ladies' room and puke her dinner.

When she came back to the cafeteria, she found Archer handing the woman tray after tray of food. She devoured it sometimes with her mouth straight to the tray. Sometimes she would realize what she was doing, glare up at Archer as if expecting him to scold her, and began scooping it up with her hands.

Her eyes once looked at Rin. It was nothing more than to see who walked through the doors as she went back to her food.

Archer sighed and took a seat at the table closest to her. He was still on edge as his eyes never left the woman. "She just scarfs it down like it's air. Where does all that go? In any case, I think she's calmed down. I don't know what she'll do afterwards, however."

"The trick is to make sure we don't give her a reason to harm us," Rin muttered. "So long as we keep her satisfied we should be fine. Hopefully she lets us go once she's filled."

"…Should you contact the Magic Association about something like this?" he questioned. "Something like this can jeopardize the entire War if she remains in Fuyuki."

Rin curled her fingers under her chin while wrapping her arm around her waist. Her fingers in her off hand played with a few gems on the chance things went south. "That much is obvious. I'll have to contact that fake priest as soon as I can. For now, let's just focus on getting through the night."

They silently agreed while watching the woman plow through several trays of food. Rin thought about leaving a few bills for all the food stolen in the cafeteria but thought it would be best to have this look like a normal break-in. She'll make Kirei fill out the report.

The woman put down the last tray and smacked her lips. She said nothing, as expected, but remained sitting as she looked between Rin and Archer. She didn't look hungry anymore. Blank satisfaction, Rin supposed.

"We're going to go now…" Rin said as she began to slowly walk backwards out of the cafeteria. Archer followed her method. "Bye now. Take care. Stay out of trouble…"

They were almost to the door when the woman blinked, stood, and took a single step forward.

…That single step placed her right in front of Archer.

The Master-Servant pair froze in place.

Nothing happened. The woman only openly stared at Archer without expecting anything. She blinked once, tilted her head to the other side, and continued to stare.

"Okay, she knows you," Rin said. "That has to be it. Do you happen to remember having an affair with a goddess?"

"Rin, my Luck stat is shit," Archer muttered. "I'd have sooner pissed one off before getting lucky."

"She clearly knows you because she's following you around!" she barked. "Maybe you were her private chef or something in your former life?"

"What sort of Archer do you think I am?" he questioned. "I have a legend for being the cook to a goddess? And that qualifies me as the Servant Archer?"

"…It could have been a side job?" she suggested. "The moon. You mentioned something about the moon earlier."

"Yeah, I did. What of it?"

"Look at her eyes and tell me what you see."

Archer turned his head to stare at the strange woman. Whatever he found made him quickly look away. The woman, in response, blinked with a small twitch on her lips.

"Maybe I do know her," Archer swept a hand through his hair. "But I told you I don't remember anything. That's not important right now. What are we going to do with her?"

Rin gave out a very long and weary sigh. "I don't suppose taking her out to the woods and telling her to stay will work. Alright, tell her to go fetch and when she runs off, I'm going to grab you and teleport us out of here with a Command Spell."

"Rin, she's not a dog," he grumbled. "And I doubt that'll work too. She came straight to me out of nowhere. I'm pretty sure she'll have a method of finding me. And I don't want to do anything that'll tick her off."

"Then do you have any ideas, because I've just been grasping at strays here!"

"I noticed. Look, I don't know what to do either. Unless you have something strong enough stored in those rocks to shoo a goddess, I got nothing."

"You _can't_ be telling me to let her follow us."

"Do _you_ have any other ideas?"

"No! That's why I asked you!"

"How about this then? We let her stay close to me. I go walking around the park for a few hours. You go home and phone the proctor. If you need me, use our link. How does that sound?"

She's not a dog, he said. Yet he offered to take her on a _walk._

"Fine, fine," Rin settled. "But don't complain to me if she takes you behind a tree and starts humping your leg."

Despite the situation, she could afford herself a little bit of fun.

Archer didn't look too pleased.

0-0-0

Archer returned at dawn. The first thing he did was serve himself a cup of tea and sit on the sofa he had broken on his first day. Rin treated it as if it was his fault.

"So, how did it go?" she asked cheekily though was genuinely interested.

"She's asleep," he answered after taking a small sip. "Dug up a spot in an open lot across New Fuyuki and buried herself. I wasn't sure what she was doing until I heard her snoring."

Well, that at least explained why the woman was so filthy.

"How did things go on your end?" he asked next. "You don't look so well. Have you been up through the entire night? If I didn't know any better I would have accused you of being concerned for me."

She pretended to have not heard the snicker in his voice. "It's nothing some caffeine and a little makeup can't fix. I talked to that fake priest as soon as I got home. He was no help whatsoever but did promise me he would look into it. However… He _did_ make a comment about the moon."

Rin's eyes narrowed at that. That priest knew something but was pretending ignorance. She could almost feel the bold-face lie reach through the receiver and slap her across the face.

Other than that, this couldn't be coincidence. Archer had made a comment about the moon and so had Kotomine Kirei. Was this some sort of lunar goddess then? She spent most of the night going over her father's books and came across a few legends. But without any further details she was skimming through a plethora of stories.

It would have helped immensely if she only knew what Heroic Spirit her Servant was.

"I guess that explains why she sleeps during the day," Archer shrugged. "She didn't seem to be in a hurry though. She yawned and started to dig. It was more like she felt tired and decided it was time to sleep."

"Hopefully this is the last time we see her," Rin added but knew it wasn't going to happen. "Know what's strange? I could have sworn I've seen that dress before. The one she was wearing I mean. I just can't remember and it started to bother me all of a sudden."

"Could have been something she picked up locally," he commented dryly, almost dispassionately. "Broke into a store because she like the colors maybe? There was no blood so I doubt she killed someone for it."

"No use fretting over it, I guess," Rin leaned in her chair and checked on the clock. It was almost time to get ready for school. "This puts a hitch in our plans but I think it's still salvageable. Who knows? Maybe if we pay our respects to this creature we can have her help us in the War."

"Rin… be rational here."

"Kidding," she waved it off. "I would be too worried stepping on her tail with her around. Let's just wait until that fake priest calls back with something. If there's anything I can rely on him for, and that being the only thing, it's how serious he takes his job. I'll be leaving you here in case he calls while I'm at school."

"That's fine by me," he shrugged with his arms crossed. "Just don't blame me if she comes here looking for me. I'm only following the orders of my irrational Master."

"…Make sure she stays outside," Rin said after some thought. "I don't want dirt everywhere."

"That's quite the tall order, Rin," he responded snidely.

0-0-0

School wasn't any different than it was any other day. The only exception being the latest gossip going around the rumor mill about what happened to the tree in the quad, why the vending machine on the first floor doesn't work, and why the cafeteria staff was running amok. It amazed Rin how colorful the imaginations of her classmates could be.

It wasn't until towards the end of the day did something exciting happen.

Fujimura, the eccentric teacher and kendo instructor, brushed by Rin on her way to her next class. Now, this happened on a daily basis. And it was because it was on a daily basis had Rin not paid it much any attention.

But… Fujimura was wearing _the exact same_ dress the mystery woman was!

"F-F-Fujimura-sensei!" Rin blurted out as she stopped the teacher on her tracks.

Heads turned as the ever stoic and graceful Tohsaka Rin had lost her composure. She cleared her throat and regained her posture.

"Eh, yes, Tohsaka-san?" blinked the teacher.

"About your dress…" Rin's mind raced trying to piece her words together. "I was wondering if you could tell me where you got it from."

"Oh, this thing?" Fujimura stuck her head up with a beaming smile. "It's fabulous, isn't it? It's my absolute favorite! The colors really speak to me. I couldn't help but buy ten pairs~"

Ten pairs… What in the world was this person thinking?

Fujimura tilted her head while engrossing herself in deep thought. "Where did I get it…? I think it was in town from a small shop. Oh, it was terrible! When I misplaced one of them I placed an order for a new one but found out that shop had closed! That was about… three years ago, I think."

… _Three_ years ago? By what mad obsession could have compelled this woman to wear the same outfit for the past three years? Every single day?!

"Oh no…" Rin feigned sympathy for her. "Is that so? Do you happen to remember the last place you saw it? You didn't leave it out for someone to take it, maybe?"

Fujimura squinted her eyes as she thought harder. "I could have sworn I left it at Shirou's house before I became a teacher. But he swears he couldn't find it when I lost it. The boy can't lie to save his life. So who knows what ever became of it…"

The event made her sad. Her shoulder sagged and she sniffled once. She looked ready to cry.

Rin offered her a napkin. Fujimura took it with much appreciation and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Eh," she then blinked after realizing something. "Oh no! I'm going to be late for my next class! Off you go, Tohsaka-san. I won't allow you to be late as well or I'll be the one in trouble!"

"Yes, well, thank you for your time, Fujimura-sensei," Rin waved with a smile and went to her next class.

Well _that_ got her nowhere. Then again, it's not like asking about the same dress would have gotten her any closer to finding out whatever in the world the mystery woman was. All she got out of it was the mystery woman had the same taste in clothing as Fujimura Taiga.

But… as Rin thought of it further, that didn't seem to be the case. The woman didn't look like she liked wearing the clothes. Better, she was wearing clothes as if she were _obliged_ to do so.

After that, there was nothing else she could discern on her end. She couldn't find the Master hiding among the flock— though she did ask around with discretion (feigning concern for her classmates) if anyone was absent. She also took up a few favors and student chores to get a chance to wander around the school grounds. She couldn't find anything regarding the Servant they fought last night nor the anchor to the Bounded Field.

At least the mystery woman had scared off the Servant from doing more work. There had been no progress in the Bounded Field's construction.

"What do you mean you won't help me out?"

As she was about to leave, she heard the shouting belonging to Matou Shinji. He had a flock of girls of the archery club around him while he was snarling at the honorary School Janitor, Emiya Shirou.

"Sorry, Shinji," Shirou put his hands up with a gentle and apologetic smile. "I can't. I need to get home right away. I have company coming over tonight."

"What're you talking about?" Shinji called him out. "Didn't she tell you? Sakura is staying home for the rest of the week."

"I know more people than Sakura…" Shirou grumbled. He was starting to get irritated. "Shinji, I said I was sorry. Normally I would have helped you; I just can't tonight. I have to prepare for…"

That was as far as Rin's interest got. It was the usual thing between those two anyways. Shinji would walk all over Shirou and take advantage of his kindness. And Shirou would just let it happen. Rin remembered when the two of them were friends in middle school. Something happened that made Shinji antagonistic towards Shirou.

And whatever happened made Sakura follow Shirou wherever he went. Good for her, honestly. Shirou was kinda cute and was a nice guy. He had a decent reputation in school as the School Janitor, always helping out others before himself. He was everything Shinji wasn't.

None of that was Rin's business anyways. She had a War to fight and a goddess to manage. Hopefully when she got home she would have some news from Kirei.

0-0-0

She knew that woman was there as soon as she entered the main gate. It was in the air. It was the same overbearing presence that bore a heavy weight on her psyche. The hairs in the back of her neck stood up as her heart began to race. It was her primal instinct to survive that was telling her the woman was present.

She was just as dirty as the last time they met. Archer had managed to keep her out of the house, somehow. She was lying on the grass, her body tucked with limbs crossed almost like a cat. Her head lifted up slightly to eye Rin and never removed her gaze. She continued to stare, and probably continued after that, when Rin crossed the path and got inside her house.

She leaned against the door and took a minute to calm her heart.

"Welcome back," Archer greeted as he materialized in the hallway. "She showed up about an hour ago. She didn't seem hungry so I left her be."

"She's just… there," Rin commented.

"So she is," he shrugged. "I don't know what she wants or what it has to do with me. But right now she's calm and not using me as a sandbag."

"I'm going to guess there was no phone call today…" she rubbed her temple.

"None whatsoever. I held down the fort the entire day without a single disturbance."

"You mean other than a goddess wandering into my yard."

"Did we agree she was a goddess?"

"I don't know what else to call her. How did you get her to stay outside?"

"I didn't. I don't know but I think she's trained."

"You mean like a dog?" Rin snickered.

"Maybe," he shrugged again. "She looked at herself, knew she was covered in dirt, and kinda just went to sulk in the corner. She's been out there ever since."

There was a knock on the door. Rin spun around to peer through the hole. To her surprise, it was the mystery woman. As if knowing she was being looked upon, her eyes flickered up towards the peephole, opened her mouth, and announced…

"Ahhhhhhhh."

Rin slammed her head against the door. "She's hungry again. Archer, keep her busy while I prepare something. I might as well make myself something as well."

"Sure, send the Servant off to deal with the monster," sarcasm dripped out of his voice. "What a _wonderful_ Master I have to give me this honor."

There was an even louder knock on the door. It sounded more like the woman was trying to barge her way in.

"Get to it before she tears down my house!" she ordered and went to the kitchen.

0-0-0

A good hour later, Rin ordered Archer to bring a plate out to the lawn.

…And two minutes after that, Archer came back in with the shards of glass in his hands and the thick sauce drenching his hair and clothes.

"I don't think she agrees with your cooking," he stated flatly.

"There is nothing wrong with my cooking!" Rin argued. "My cooking is better than the slop they had frozen in the school cafeteria! It's organic!"

"I know," Archer tossed the shards in the garbage while using a towel to wipe himself clean. "And I agree with you. But she doesn't. She took it, glared at it, and then threw it back at me."

"You mean she didn't even try it?!"

He only shrugged.

There was a loud bang from the hallway. The door had been kicked open while the sound of feet stomping and breaking wood approached them.

The woman stormed through into the kitchen. Her eyes were glowing with a ferocity of a beast who had just had their tail stepped on. Those eyes were glaring straight at Rin.

Rin honestly thought she was going to die this day. To die because her cooking wasn't good enough.

It didn't happen. Instead, the woman went straight to Archer, grabbed him by his collar, and began to drag him away.

"So this is where I die…" Archer commented while he was being pulled out of the house. "To be killed off by a monster who disagreed with my Master's cooking. I somehow knew this day would come."

"Oh shut up," Rin snarled and followed close behind. "Where is she taking you?"

"You think I would know?" he shrugged once before crossing his arms.

The woman dragged him out of the house, through the gates, and into the street. And she continued to march. No matter how much Archer tried to pull himself free, she would readjust his grip and pull him along.

This was just getting out of hand…

Once, Rin believed, they got lost. The only indication was for the woman to stop abruptly, look around, sniff the air, and travel forward once again.

"To think a legendary hero is being manhandled like this…" Rin couldn't believe it.

"Master, I've tried to break free," Archer sulked. "She's not letting me go. And I would prefer to not have any bones broken. Or, I don't know, killed. There's nothing I can really do about it until she lets go."

"You're a Servant!" Rin bellowed. "Use your Noble Phantasm or something!"

Their answer to that suggestion was a growl from the woman. A legitimate growl that fit better with a wolf or lion.

They could only keep silent while the woman led them forward to parts unknown.

It wasn't until the sun had set did they find themselves in a more traditional Japanese-style neighborhood. The houses were large and spread far enough to where it would take an adventure and a half to borrow a cup of sugar from the next door over.

It was here where the woman stopped walking and dropped Archer.

"Finally," he stood quickly and brushed off the dirt that had accumulated on the edge of his coat.

"Ahhhhhhhh…" the woman said to him with clear irritation on her face.

"What do you want me to do here?" he asked her.

Her head snapped over her shoulder.

In the next instance, something shot out of one of the gates. It was a blue blur with a streak of silver. It came at them with a fierce rush that caught them by surprise.

The woman put a hand on Archer's chest and _gently_ pushed him off his feet, flying a few meters back and crashing into another wall.

The invisible blade of a Servant struck open air after missing Archer. Her emerald eyes widened slightly in surprise but quickly readjusted. Her eyes flicked over to the woman and prepared for another assault.

The woman didn't move. She only stared down at the Servant with a dull expression. Her eyes flickered up towards something behind the Servant. Her eyes brightened.

"Saber!"

…Of all people. Of _all_ people, it was Emiya Shirou who they had been led to? It was the _School Janitor_ who was a Master and the Master to the Servant Saber?!

He grabbed the back collar of Saber's armored dress and lifted him up like how he would a small kitten. "What are you doing? Don't just go attacking people all of a sudden."

"W-What…?" Saber blinked a few times, surprised as if she hadn't expected her Master to be there. "How did you…? S-Shirou! Put me down! This is indignant!"

He did so while scratching the back of his head. "Sorry, I was just worried you confused her as a Servant. I don't think we've be having this conversation if I stopped you."

He was speaking about the woman. The woman, however, was as confused as can ever be. Her head snapped between Shirou, to Archer, to Shirou, and so on. The more her head swiveled around, the more confused she was looking.

"Ah, Tohsaka-san?" he blinked when he spotted her. "Were you the one who brought her here? Thank you very much. Are you hungry? I was in the middle of making some food. You're welcome to join us if you want."

Whether she found the solution to whatever ailed her or not, the woman's hand snapped to the sleeve of his shirt. She was going to abandon Archer in favor of Shirou.

Maybe she just follows her stomach…?

"Emiya-kun…" Rin was starting to shake with a myriad of emotions burning through her. "Do you mean to tell me… _this_ is _yours_?!"

She gestured towards the woman.

"Eh…" he paused to think while scratching his cheek. "More like a stray that comes over for a free meal every so often."

The woman tugged at his sleeve while announcing, "Ahhhhhh."

"Right, right," he nodded and patted the top of her head like a pet.

She glowered in irritation but didn't remove his hand.

"Shirou, I must protest," announced Saber. "I wasn't wrong. Yes, I don't know this lady but she was not the one I sensed. This girl is a Master and that man over there is her Servant."

Man? More like a splatter in the wall.

"Huh…" Shirou blinked as his eyes reevaluated Rin. "That makes a lot of sense. I always knew you were a liar, Tohsaka, but I couldn't figure out what you were trying to hide. Now it makes sense if you were a Magus all along."

Rin wasn't sure if she should be surprised or ticked off. For everything that's been going on the past day and a half, she chose to be ticked off.

"Do you mind coming in anyways?" he asked. "I don't get what's really going on with this Holy Grail War and would like to ask a few questions. It would help me a lot and I would appreciate it. You're welcome to eat."

"Ahhhhhhh," repeated the woman.

"I'm going, I'm going," he said while heading towards the gate. "Just be patient. Geez, you're almost as dirty as you were last time. You know I'm going to have to give you a bath."

She immediately let go and hissed at him. He matched her glare with one of his own.

"No bath, no food. You know the rules."

Her eyes glared further with absolute hate. They glowed with a power that transcended the likes of Servants. But Shirou did not falter. He continued to stare at her, unflinching.

It was the woman who looked away, with great reluctance.

"Come on, Saber," Shirou called out. "You can join as well. We still need to talk ourselves, right?"

Shirou disappeared through the gates. Saber lingered for a moment, eyeing Rin. She didn't seem content to permit a Master into the lair of her own. But orders were orders. She only gave Rin a nod as she turned and followed suit after Shirou.

It took everything in Rin's will to not pull her hair out and scream.

Here, right here, was the fourth reason why her week wasn't going according to plan!


	6. Chapter 3

**AN: Happy birthday, you sausage.**

* * *

 **Chapter Three**

 **Servant Berserker**

"Ahhhhhh," said the moonlit goddess.

"Hold on, hold on," grumbled Shirou from the kitchen. "It's almost done."

Rin had no idea what to think of the School Janitor. He had asked her to wait for her at the dining table while he went off to bathe the phantasmal woman. He said it as simply as he would about taking out the trash or sweeping the front entrance. Never mind he had gone off to strip a gorgeous woman naked and scrub every corner of her body.

He said it as though it was something that needed to be done but would rather not do.

There was a loud sound of the goddess throwing a tantrum in the bathroom, things being thrown, Shirou trying to keep her still, and then mellow silence.

They both returned moments later. The goddess was fuming like a wet kitten. But she was dressed in a new, clean dress.

Shirou came back with battle scars. His face was decorated in crimson streaks of scratch marks.

After that, he went into the kitchens and began to finish a meal he was working on prior to their arrival.

All Rin could do was sip her tea in silence. Even Saber, the boy's Servant, who kept a vigilant eye on Rin the entire time, couldn't help but blink and stare at him with a perplexed expression.

"Ahhhhhh~" called out the goddess once more with more clear irritation.

"I'm not at fault this time," sighed Shirou from the counter. "Dinner would have been ready on time if it wasn't for— Oh, Caster!"

Rin nearly gagged on her tea at the arrival of _another_ Servant. A woman in dark colors of green and violet robes appeared in the middle of the living room. Most of her face was concealed by a hood. Rin couldn't see her eyes.

"The dark deed you requested is complete," the Servant, Caster, stated while looking around the table. Her attention locked on Rin and Archer at first. It paused for a moment at the moonlit goddess, who continued to glare at Shirou with impatience.

Upon sensing the Servant's gaze, the goddess craned her head around to peer over her shoulder. Her lunar eyes pierced through the Servant's with a silent warning.

"So this is the mystery woman…" she said after averting her gaze.

"Do you mind coming here and helping out?" Shirou called out to her. "Help me serve the appetizers at least."

"Certainly, my Master," Caster said with a flare as she approached the kitchen.

Rin blinked at that. Master? Did she seriously just call Shirou her _Master_?!

The School Janitor had _two_ Servants under his command?!

She also took note the way Saber was being cautious around Caster. While the petite knight kept her head held high and face calm, she tensed when Caster walked behind her to get into the kitchen.

It was understandable. While they might be on the same team, they were still two Servants. Their partnership would be temporary. At some point during the War would they have to face against another. They couldn't afford to be so trusting around the other.

"I told you to call me Shirou," the boy grumbled as he started to pile plates in her arms. He did it with such a flurry she almost lost her balance. "I'm not your Master or anything. Don't drop anything. She'll probably eat it off the floor and I'm trying to get her to stop doing that."

Caster looked out of her zone with the number of plates she struggled to balance. Her lips thinned as she walked stiffly out of the kitchen. All of her focus was on not stumbling. She had to place one foot in front of the other while readjusting her balance.

Despite her awkwardness, Caster was able to place each plate down in front of everyone. Shirou had even placed a set for Archer, who remained in the back of the room with his back leaning against the wall. With her task done, Caster knelt down on one of the cushions. She did not sigh in relief, but Rin could see she was trying to suppress the gesture by her posture.

For appetizers, they were rather simple.

The goddess took a few sniffs of the plate in front of her. Her eyes lit up with delight. She opened her mouth, exposing a mouth full of fangs…

"Don't," was Shirou's simple command from the kitchen.

The goddess scowled and leaned back. She glared fiercely at Shirou. Rin almost expected the wrath of the heavens to descend onto this house. But, the goddess picked up the plate with one hand and began to scoop up its contents with her fingers. All the while, she continued to glare at Shirou.

"Mmmmmmm!" she moaned as soon as the first scoops filled her mouth to the brim. Her face flushed as an expression of absolute pleasure filled her.

Rin eyed her plate. She looked around the table at Saber and Caster. Saber kept her hands at her lap with the same stalwart expression on her face. But her eyes were crying to want to eat. Caster, however, had picked up a pair of chopsticks. Her head was lifted, peering towards Shirou's location as though he were about to scold her as well.

When he said nothing, Caster dug into her meal.

That must have been the cue for her to begin. She thanked him for the meal, picked up one of the dumplings, blew on it in two puffs, and popped it into her mouth.

It was like a bomb had gone off in her mouth.

There was an explosion of flavor and juices that slammed every sense within her. It felt like someone had walked up to her and slapped her across the face. And the aftertaste was the tingling sensation of stinking numbness.

When next she came to, her entire plate was empty. The only thing that brought her out of this state of mind had been the clink of her chopstick hitting an empty plate. Somehow, in some way, she had devoured five other pieces in the blink of an eye.

The appetizer had bitch slapped her.

…And she liked it.

"Did you spike the food?!" Rin demanded. "Emiya, what the hell did you put in here?! I'm not going to wake up in chains in your workshop, am I?!"

He glowered as he placed the main dishes down onto the table. His glare was rather blunt compared to the goddess' fiercely penetrating. But he looked annoyed by her comment.

"Still too much?" he groaned as he wiped his hands on his apron. "I thought by adding citrus it would conflict with the spice. What the hell am I doing right?"

"I believe you made it more potent than the last time," commented Caster. She was the only one at the table capable of eating at her own leisure. She had one last dumpling in her grip.

"Stronger than last time…?" Shirou groaned again. He pulled a wooden spoon from his apron pocket and wacked the back of the hand of the goddess, who had been trying to swipe a bread roll while he wasn't looking. "Saber, what do you think?"

"I… w-wha…?" the Servant of the Sword's face was completely red with tears threatening to flow down her eyes. She had her empty plate in her hands and eyeing it as though it were a comrade who had died in her arms. There was no indication she had actually heard Shirou's words.

Shirou took note of her reaction, grumbled further, and pulled a small notebook from his pant pocket. He made notes while taking the head of the table.

"Fortunately, this is all store brand stuff," he said after placing the note down at the edge of the table.

"…You mean none of this you actually cooked?" Caster asked without bothering to hide her disappointment.

"It's all from a recipe the market gave me," he answered. "I didn't change anything to it. So let's see how it all works out. _Itadakimasu._ "

He was the only one to do it. Rin would have if she wasn't still flustered from the dumpling molestation. Saber didn't because it was a foreign concept to her. And the goddess definitely didn't because all she understood from the word was permission to gorge herself of the food.

" _Itadakimasu,_ " Caster clapped her hands together in prayer and began to fill her plate.

Rin blanched as she looked around the table once more. Saber had snapped out of her stupor after coming back to reality and finding more food placed in front of her. The goddess had her place close to her face… but taking only scoops of food through her fingers rather than eating like a dog. The annoyance of the habit was evident on her expression. And Caster was eating leisurely.

"Is something wrong, Tohsaka-san?" Shirou asked as he eyed her. He had taken a few bites but stopped once he noticed her hesitation.

"Um… no," she shook her head and began to fill up her plate. "Thank you for the meal, Emiya-kun. You didn't have to go this far."

She was disappointed in the quality of the meal. It was still delicious, sure. But it didn't have that kick his appetizer had.

He observed her reaction. A smile graced him as he went back to his meal.

"I was hoping you could answer some of my questions," he asked after a moment.

She nodded, "I can do that much. But, first, I want to ask you something. How long have you been a Magus?"

He chewed for a bit as he eyed her. "Magus? I'm not."

She raised a skeptical brow at him.

"My father tried to teach me magic. It didn't work out. It was a long time ago so I don't remember the fundamentals. I haven't attempted to cast magic since I was very little. I barely understand half the things Caster say."

"The struggle is real," Caster said between bites.

"Really…?" Rin's brows furrowed. "Then how was it you managed to get ahold of two Servants?"

"I don't believe that question is relevant," Saber stated firmly.

"I killed Caster's previous Master," Shirou answered without hesitation. "The contract got transferred to me. But then… I was attacked by another Master with Berserker. I lost my arm. The Command Seals on them—"

"Master," called out Caster.

"Shirou," the boy barked back automatically. He blinked as his gaze went back to Rin. "Um… Sorry. What were we talking about?"

Rin gazed at his body. He still had both his arms. So many different scenarios played in her mind to prove and disprove his testimony. However, it was all baseless. He could just be making up the story to tease her. She chose to ignore his past few words.

Saber was looking at him curiously, however.

"I only have one more question," Rin pointed a finger at the goddess, who looked up from her plate as soon as the gesture was made. "What is she and how do you know her?"

Genuine confusion crossed through Shirou. He and the goddess exchanged a look. She didn't glare at him when making direct eye contact. If anything, she only tilted her head.

He crossed his arms and went back to Rin, "No idea. She just pops up every now and then for food. I can't have her running around naked so I get clothes for her. The bath is for only when we need to eat indoors. Like in this cold weather."

Incidentally, the goddess stopped chewing as soon as the word 'bath' was brought up. Her entire body became stiff as though sensing a predator around the corner.

"Emiya-kun, do you know who I am?" Rin asked with all seriousness.

He started to laugh to himself. He tried to hold it in but couldn't restrain himself. All he could do was muffle his laughter with a hand over his mouth.

"Just what is so funny?" she demanded.

"Sorry, Tohsaka-san," he said after a moment. "What you just asked… It's something we all say whenever… N-Never mind. I only know you as Tohsaka Rin. You're the same year as me in another class. You're one of the top students. And, apparently, a Magus and Master of the Holy Grail War."

She eyed him for both his reaction as well as for his answer.

"I am also the Second Owner," she explained, keeping attentive focus on his reaction. He gave nothing as he stared straight at her. "It means I am ordained by the Magic Association to govern this land in all magic affairs. Do you understand what this means?"

"Not fully but I understand the gist," he said with a steady nod. "Does this have anything to do with the Holy Grail War?"

"You could say I'm the one who authorized it," she said with a shrug. "Rather, my family did. I belong to the Tohsaka family. We are the founders of the Holy Grail War alongside the Einzbern and the Makiri… or the Matou, as you would know them by."

His brows furrowed, "Matou…? As in—"

"Yes," she answered readily.

"Then… is Sakura…?"

She shook her head, "Sakura shouldn't be affiliated with the magical world. The Matou have declined in both status and pedigree. Their heir doesn't have any Magic Circuits. The last Magus of the line is the current head and the line of sorcery will die with him."

"…I see," Shirou said as he relaxed a tiny bit. "Caster has told me the general rules and goal of the Holy Grail War. I understand seven Masters pair with seven Servants. And I understand the last one standing will be able to claim the Grail and make a wish. Is there anything else you can tell me?"

"That's the bare basics, yes. And, as you probably figured, there are seven different classes for Servants. And it's also imperative you keep the identity of each Servant to yourself."

"…Then you already know I have Caster and Saber," he muttered.

She shook her head, "I mean their true identities. Every Servant summoned is a hero of legend and history. If an enemy Master learns the identity of another Servant, they can learn everything about from. Their tactics, their feats in their past lives, their Noble Phantasm, and, especially, how they died."

"…So they can figure out how to kill them," he stated.

She nodded.

"But… Noble Phantasm?" he questioned next.

Inwardly, she sighed.

"Shirou," Saber spoke up as she addressed him. "A Noble Phantasm is a Servant's ultimate power. It can be a technique, or a power, or a weapon. It is the crowning achievement of a Servant that has made their mark on the world and placed them upon the Throne of Heroes."

Shirou hummed to himself in understanding while folding his arms again. "Okay. I get that much. But, here's what I'm most concerned about, why set up a secret war like this in a heavily populated area? A lot of people outside the magic community could get dragged into it."

"Like you, Master?" Caster questioned.

"Shirou," he corrected her again.

Rin took note of Caster's comment before answering, "It's the land. When the Holy Grail War was first designed, it was decided to host the ritual here because of the ley lines. You can call them veins of the land that pumps magic. The ritual takes place once every sixty years over the past two hundred years. This would be the Fifth Holy Grail War."

"…The math doesn't add up," he said with his brows furrowing.

"You're right," she said as she leaned against the table. "We don't know why, but this Holy Grail War started several years earlier than it should have. The last War was over ten years ago. Honestly, I had been prepared to have either my children or grandchildren participate in it. I never thought I would have been a Master myself."

He looked up at the ceiling in thought. His eyes spaced out for a moment as though trying to recall something. He frowned further before dropping his gaze at the goddess.

"I don't suppose you know what's going on, do you?"

The goddess blinked at him a few times.

He sighed, "Yeah, I didn't think so."

"That's pretty much everything I can tell you," Rin announced. "Anything else you might want to know can be asked by the moderator of the War."

"I heard something about that," Shirou said as he looked back at her. "Do you know who it is and how I can get in contact with him?"

She frowned. It would be better to just point him in the right direction and send him off. But… she had a responsibility. And she owed him for a few things. Such as holding off his Servant before decapitating her and Archer. And for taking responsibility over the goddess.

"If we leave now we can meet him," she answered begrudgingly. "It's better you see him as soon as possible since it's so early in the War. Wait any longer and you run the chance of facing another Master."

He considered her proposal for a moment. His eyes flickered towards his left, not necessarily looking at anything. It was a reaction most had when hearing something that had suddenly gotten their attention. He was listening to something.

"Sure," he said suddenly with a smile. "I would appreciate it, Tohsaka-san. But, uh, this person isn't a part of the Magic Association, is he? You're probably the first person from there that doesn't want to kill me."

She couldn't help but raise a curious brow for that.

"She is a Master, Master," Caster clarified.

"Caster, I will leave you to clean the dishes if you do that again," he threatened.

"…What a cruel Master I have. Very well, _Shirou._ "

He nodded in appreciation.

"Are you sure this is wise, Shirou?" Saber spoke up. "There are other important matters that need to be addressed. Matters that must be discussed in private."

"I think that's something you and Caster are going to have to figure out yourselves," he answered in a simple tone. He looked at the two Servants. "I'll tell you what I told Caster. So long as you don't endanger others, I will support you. But I don't care about the Holy Grail at all."

"What?!" Rin nearly shrieked. "Shirou! Do you have any idea what you're saying?!"

"I do," he said in the same simple tone. "I'm only participating to make sure others aren't put in danger. Ah, that reminds me. Tohsaka-san, you're not going to be sacrificing others for this game, are you?"

She scowled at him, "I have my pride as a Magus, Emiya-kun. I'm going to be winning this Holy Grail War through my own merits. Honorably."

She pretended to have not noticed Archer's grunt of disproval.

Shirou stared at her for a moment, his eyes searching through hers. He liked her answer as it shone through his smile. "Good. That only leads a few others to ask. Alright, can you take me to the moderator then? I would appreciate it."

"Then let's go," she said as she stood. "Before it gets any later."

He wiped his hands clean and began to gather the plates. He chose to let the goddess' remain. She continued to eat away.

Saber sulked at having to leave such a feast. But she handed Shirou her plate and stood as well.

"What about her?" Rin asked, pointing once again at the goddess.

"She'll be fine by herself," Shirou answered as he placed what he could into the kitchen sink and rinse them. He would have to properly wash them later. "She'll be gone by the time I get back. She only shows up for food and leaves. We won't see her again for a while."

That didn't match up with Rin's experience. The goddess had stuck to Archer even after he fed her. She trailed him into a nearby forest, dug up a pit to sleep in, and found him the following afternoon while Rin was in school.

She thought about telling Shirou about all of this.

But… it was his problem now. Their relationship seemed to be long term if he could get her to take a bath and have some decency at table manners. His word had meaning to the goddess.

This was Rin's silent way of having revenge. Let him find out how difficult it was when dealing with this creature.

By no means did she give up in her inquisition. She was going to find out who and what this goddess was— if a divine entity at all— and how Shirou got such a close connection to her.

0-0-0

"Emiya-kun… I'm doing you a favor…" Rin grumbled as she marched up the hill. "It's getting late. We have school tomorrow! Why did you have to stop by for _more_ food?!"

"Because it's rude to show up without anything to offer," he answered as if it were so simple. "Caster, is there any possible way you can keep this one warm with your magic?"

Rin nearly had a spasm. She wanted to punch him for such a request. He was going to ask _the_ Servant of the Spell to use her legendary skill of sorcery to keep some fast-food garbage warm?!

"Certainly, Master," Caster said as she took the offered paper bag from him. Already a small hum of power coursed through her hands.

"You're doing that on purpose now," he said with a blunt glare. "Just because you didn't have to clean dishes then doesn't mean you won't later."

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Shirou," she replied with a playful smile.

He stared at her for a moment before dropping the subject altogether and returning to his climb. The sight of the church was just over the hill.

"It's a church," he commented. "Is the priest also a Magus? I thought the Church and Magic Association don't get along."

For someone who was outside the magic community… he had said something pretty perceptive. Or, perhaps not. It was common knowledge even to the vanilla people that the Church was against any occult practice. Shirou's assessment could be based entirely on that and he wouldn't be wrong.

"The moderator is a priest from the Roman Catholic Church," she explained. "He's a neutral party sent by the Church to take control over the War. You can ask him about the specifics once we get inside."

When they reached their destination, she pushed open the gate.

"You're not coming in?" Shirou asked his Servants.

Both of them were looking up at the Church. Caster answered first, "If that is your wish. I would prefer not to… intrude."

"There is something malevolent in the air," Saber went next. "I'm not very fond of this place. I will stand guard out here."

"Archer will do the same," Rin announced. "Besides, it's somewhat against the rules for a Servant to step inside here. It's neutral grounds. It would be fine since you're a new Master without proper instruction."

"No, this is okay," Shirou said as he stepped beside Rin. He said to his Servants, "I'll only be a few minutes. Please try to not kill each other while I'm away."

"I make no promises," Caster said.

Saber eyed her suspiciously.

Caster couldn't help but smirk.

They left the group to enter the church. It was a small building at the front with a few pews, an altar at the far back, stained glass windows depicting angels and saints, and doors leading to the priest's private areas in the corner.

There was a man standing at the altar, facing the cross with his head bowed. In his hand was the holy text. He didn't respond when the two of them entered. He only shut the book when Shirou shut the door behind him and took a few steps forward.

Kotomine Kirei was his name. Rin hated his guts with a passion as hot as the sun.

"Rin," the man spoke in a deep voice. "What brings you here so late in the hour? Are you finally here to ask for my advice as my student?"

"Don't try to pretend like you care, fake priest," Rin snapped back as she waved a hand. "I brought someone who needs to be explained the mechanics of the Holy Grail War."

Kirei's eyes flicked upwards. He had always been aware of the presence of the individual accompanying Rin. Some things never left the experience of an Executioner. But a fraction of an expression swept through the man at the sight of Shirou.

"Emiya," Kirei announced as he folded his hands behind his back.

"Kotomine," Shirou announced in the same tone as he stood beside Rin.

"Wait…" Rin looked at the two of them. "You two know each other?!"

Both boy and man paid her just enough attention to answer.

"No," they said in perfect unison before looking back at each other.

Rin's brow twitched.

"To what do I owe the company?" Kirei asked as he began to move around the room. He kept his hands behind his back as he circled around the pews. He kept his eyes locked on Shirou at all times.

"I came here because I heard all about the Holy Grail War," Shirou answered in a serious tone.

Kirei almost lost the grace of his stride. "Is that right? I wouldn't think someone like you would care about a matter like this. Just how did you hear about it?"

"From a Servant," Shirou answered. He only tilted his head to keep Kirei in his peripheral vision as the man started to circle around him. "She told me the general needs. Tohsaka-san filled in some of the gaps. But I want to know the role of the moderator and how much you can influence exactly."

"A Servant, was it?" Kirei gave a mocking scoff. He knew something and let it show in his voice. "Nothing else? You would be the sixth Master to have summoned a Servant. Shall I assume it is Assassin? Or… because it's you… Servant Saber—"

Kirei had almost finished circling around the room. But just before he could reach his original destination, Shirou tossed him one of the bags of food he purchased earlier. Kirei stopped in his steps to catch it.

"I brought you something," Shirou said with a friendly smile. "It's the spicy chicken. I thought you might like it."

Rin looked at him. "Okay, seriously, you two know each other. What exactly—"

"We don't," they both answered in, once again, perfect unison.

"I need to know a few things from you, Kotomine," Shirou began as he stepped forward. He made sure to move around Kirei, making sure there was a certain amount of space between them. He paused with his eyes flickering towards the ground.

He dragged his foot across an invisible line. It was the pathway Kirei had made when he first began to circle around the room. Only then did Shirou cross over it.

"Of course," Kirei responded with a fake smile. He dropped the bag of food on one of the pews while facing the altar. "It's my responsibility as the proctor of this rite. What knowledge do you seek from me?"

"Is it against the rules to get anyone not participating in the War involved, directly or indirectly? And if not, do you have the means to punish those?"

"No," Kirei answered in a solid voice. "While the War is a secret, it is up to the Master to make sure all else remain unaware of the battle. My duty is to only clean up the mess and ensure the general populace do not grow suspicious. The first incident was the unfortunate plane crash under Fuyuki Bridge a few days past."

"The plane was shot down," Shirou accused. "By a Master and Servant?"

"We suspect," Kirei said with another knowing smile. "It is confirmed the plane belonged to another Master. I, however, cannot reveal any further information about him. The incident, on the other hand, was swept up as an unfortunate accident."

"Then your power only extends towards cleaning up the aftermath," Shirou almost growled. "You can't stop a Master or Servant should any of them target people?"

"My priority is to ensure the secret of magic," Kirei reaffirmed. "However, should a Master and Servant start to stir up trouble and threaten to reveal this secret, measures have been considered to quell them."

"How so?"

"It is unceremonious for a Master to learn how I will eliminate them as a threat, is it not?"

Shirou looked away in thought. His head bowed down as his eyes flickered over his shoulder. There it was again. He was listening for something.

Kirei looked intrigued at the notion.

"Fine," Shirou said eventually. "Another thing. If only a Servant has to die, why go after the Master?"

"A Servant is only a temporary vessel for the Heroic Spirit dwelling within. And that vessel can only remain because of their connection to their Master. The Master provides prana to the Servant in order to fuel their powers, their wonders, and keep them in the material world. It is strategically sound to go after the Master instead of the Servant. Without the Master… the Servant will vanish soon after."

"So anyone participating in this game can die."

"A game…" Kirei tasted the word. "How fitting, Emiya. Yes, both Master and Servant can perish in this rite. But such is the nature and will of the Holy Grail. Only the worthy will be able to inherit its splendor. Rejoice, Emiya, your wish may be fulfilled after all."

Shirou blinked at that. "My wish? If it can grant that… then the Grail can grant any type of wish?"

Rin, who had been listening silently, couldn't help but be curious about Shirou's wish.

"Of course," Kirei answered with another smile. "While it might not be the cup the Lord and Savior drank from, its might cannot be denied. It can be used to bring salvation to the world… or destroy it entirely."

Shirou was silent as he thought. He bowed his head again as he listened to something only he could hear.

"Thank you, Kotomine," Shirou said as he turned sharply and started to head towards the exit.

"Then am I to assume you are to participate, Emiya?" Kirei called out after him. "Will you play the part of Master and claim the Grail for yourself?"

"I will be a Master," Shirou stopped just to call over his shoulder. "But I have no interest in the Grail. I will only participate to make sure the Grail doesn't fall into the wrong hands."

"Of course…" Kirei faced back to the altar. He opened the bible he kept in hand and resumed his reading. But not before leaving off, "Such is the nature of a guard dog."

Shirou paused for a second. His face never changed expression. It was as though he had frozen in time itself. The moment passed. He resumed his pacing and left the church with Rin in tow.

0-0-0

"Just what the hell was that about?" Rin demanded.

"What do you mean?" he asked with an innocent glint in his eyes. "What did I do?"

They were descending back down the hill when Rin couldn't stand the silence any longer. He only mentioned a few words to his Servants but didn't answer any of their questions. He was quiet in thought to himself. He was mulling over the conversation with Kirei.

"Emiya-kun, just who are you?" she demanded next. "You have two servants, you have a goddess begging for scraps—"

"I don't think she's a goddess."

"And you _clearly_ know that fake priest!" she shot back to make her point. "What was that comment he made about you being a guard dog?"

"I like to protect people," he answered in a sharp tone. "I don't like seeing people get hurt. I don't like bullies. I honestly believe those with power should use it to protect others. Not… not play games like this."

He looked around the general area, gesturing about the Holy Grail War itself.

"Shirou," Caster said suddenly. She lifted the colorful bag he asked her to keep heated. "What shall I do with this? Is this for your friend?"

His expression _completely_ changed back to the more innocent tone. "Oh. That? Hold onto it for a bit longer. We're going to be needing it soon."

"…I don't understand you at all," Rin grumbled as she rubbed her temple. "You know what, fine. Fine! Don't tell me. Emiya-kun, if you don't trust me that's fine. Just don't treat me like an idiot. At least have the decency to tell me straight to my face you have no intention in telling me anything. We are enemy Masters after all."

"Huh…" was all he could say. He pulled out the notebook from before and made a few notes from it. "You're right, you're right. Okay. Noted. But that also reminds me, Tohsaka-san. What do you want to wish for?"

Something in his tone made everyone tense. She caught it too. His eyes had sharpened at his inquiry.

She waved it off, "Nothing. I don't have a wish. I could ask to take over the world but I think that would be too boring. No, I only want the Grail to keep as a trophy. Something I can point at for those who doubt me."

Any hostility he had vanished like a lightbulb going out. His eyes were back to being innocent.

It both unnerved and annoyed her how he could switch like that. There wasn't something right about him.

"Okay," Shirou said with a few nods. He pocketed his notebook. "Alright, I can support that. Do you want us to walk you home, Tohsaka-san? If not, I'll see you in school tomorrow."

She glowered at him, "Emiya-kun, do you not understand your situation? You agreed to be a Master of the Holy Grail War."

"Uh huh."

"That means, starting tomorrow, you and I will be _enemies_ ," she jabbed a finger at his direction. "I only offered to help you tonight because you held back your Servant. But our truce ends once we part ways."

"Sure," he nodded as though he understood. "But you're a good person, Tohsaka-san. I can't see you as my enemy."

…Or not.

"Are you done yet with your conversation?"

Rin's head whipped around. Archer materialized as he stood protectively in front of her. Saber did the same in front of Shirou. However… Caster remained as passive as ever as she continued to use her sorcery to keep the food warm.

She was looking at it with newfound light as though everything started to make sense.

Shirou, on the other hand, was the only one unfazed by the surprise appearance.

Standing atop the hill they came from was a little girl with long white hair, fair skin, and bright red eyes. She was dressed in winter attire of purple.

The thing standing behind her towered over everyone. It could hardly be called human with the sheer size of it. It was a man standing nearly eight feet tall with bulging muscles larger than Rin's head. In his hand was a chunk of rock carved into a crude blade with strips of cloth wrapped around for the handle.

"Hello again," Shirou said with a slightly warm smile.

"Hello, Onii-chan," the girl replied with a hungry smile. "You surprised me. Your Servant must be really amazing! I was so disappointed the last time. I thought you were dead but your Servant patched you back together. That means my Berserker can tear you apart again and again."

Berserker. The hulking brute behind her was the Servant Berserker.

The little girl suddenly took notice of Rin. "Oh. Hello there. You must be Rin Tohsaka. It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Illyasviel von Einzbern."

She grabbed the hem of her coat and performed a curtsey.

"Einzbern…" growled Rin below her breath. This was the representative of the Einzbern family? This little girl? No, this homunculus. Once again, just like the Fourth War, she was to act as both the Master and Lesser Grail.

"I'll be dealing with you soon enough," Illaysviel said with a wicked sneer. "But first, I have unfinished business with my dear Onii-chan. Berserker… KILL HIM!"

The monster behind her let out a shriek that could never come out of human lungs. It sent a shockwave as the lampposts around them shattered. Rin had to cover her ears before she would lose her mind. In the next instant, the Servant leapt forward.

It was nothing but a black blur! It moved too fast for even the likes of a Servant!

"Oh yeah, I forgot to ask—"

Whatever Shirou was about to say was cut off. The idiot just stood there! He had called out to Rin with a question on the tip of his tongue before Berserker struck. An eruption of gravel and dirt flew up from the first impact.

Rin would have been caught up in the blast if Archer hadn't grabbed ahold of her and leapt away.

The dust cleared quickly. Saber was there in front of Shirou. She had deflected the first blow from Berserker. The petite knight grunted and sent a flurry of strikes, each one sending a pulse of power with every contact.

But Berserker was matching her strikes with a frenzy of his own. He was powerful enough for each swing to create sonic booms. Every contact destroyed the area around them.

Shirou, impossibly, remained standing despite being so close to the combat. He coughed a few times as his face was completely covered in dirt. He took a few steps outside the area, if only to get away from the debris flying at him and not from the lethal threat of two Servants clashing.

"What do you want to do?" Archer asked. "We could leave them to kill each other. Or we could strike them all while they're distracted."

Rin scowled. Her eyes flicked back up towards the hill.

Illyasviel was glowering with annoyance as her Servant was occupied by Saber. Their eyes had met for a brief moment. A smile grew on Illyasviel. She walked off the side of the road and began to make her way towards the neighboring sea of trees.

"We fight," Rin declared. "Archer, let Emiya deal with Berserker. I'm going after Einzbern. Provide support."

"Very well," he said as he went into his astral form. "But I'm taking a shot if the opportunity presents itself."

"We are in a War, after all," Rin nodded grimly and started to follow after Illyasviel.

She really hoped Shirou would get his shit together before he got himself killed. She had done her part. She had educated the boy. The rest was all on him.

0-0-0

…In retrospect, maybe going after the Einzbern Master wasn't such a smart move.

Rin swore as she dove for cover. Illyasviel was using magecraft with wires to create animatronic birds with wings as sharp as blades. Those Rin could deal with a few Gandr shots. But _no._ The birds could shoot blasts of compressed prana out of their beaks!

Nothing was going her way this Holy Grail War. Finding competition was a hassle and a half. And then when she finds a Servant, Emiya's moonlit companion ruined everything. And then there was Emiya!

Now, Rin was hiding in a ditch from some jailbait.

"Tohsaka, there you are."

She nearly shrieked. Shirou had climbed out of the bushes and joined her down in the ditch. His clothes were dirtied and torn from being so close against Berserker. In his hand was the rolled up paper bag of a kid's meal.

…A kid's meal. There's no freaking way he bought that knowing this was going to happen.

"You planned this," she accused.

He blinked at her and then eyed the bag. "I didn't plan anything. I was only aware we were going to run into each other. I think she was waiting for any Master to appear at the church."

"Tohsaka~" the little girl called out from the other side of the field. "Where did you run off to? Don't tell me that's all the great Tohsaka family can put up. I'm a little disappointed. You put up an even lesser fight than Onii-chan."

The little brat _did not_ just say she was worse than the School Janitor!

"Anyways," Shirou waved to get her attention again. "I had a question I forgot to ask Kotomine."

"Are you kidding me?" she nearly screamed. "Emiya-kun, I don't have time to be holding your hand."

"It's just a quick question," he pressed further. He squatted closer. "I heard killing a Master is ideal. Servants can kill Masters. And since you're fighting against Illya-chan then it means Masters can kill other Masters."

…Illya-chan?

"Does this mean Masters can't fight Servants?" he asked without a hitch.

His question left her dumbfounded. "What? No! Are you crazy?! A Master wouldn't stand a chance against a Servant!"

"…So is it against the rules or not?" he asked with his brows furrowing.

"Try and you'll get destroyed," she gritted her teeth.

"By what? The proctor? Or by the Servant? I don't understand."

"What idiot would fight against a Servant in the first place?!"

"There you are!" she heard _Illya-chan_ sing with joy.

Rin shoved Shirou to the side as another set of wire birds flew over and bombarded them with prana shots. The rolled downhill with limbs tangling over the other. Their tumbling stopped when Shirou landed on top of a bush.

He held Rin close to his chest with his hands around her waist. They were close enough to see the color of their eyes in the dark of the night.

"But I'm trying to understand if a Master _can_ attack a Servant," he went on, completely unfazed by their closeness or by the danger they were in. "Look at it this way. Can I support Saber and Caster by attacking Berserker? Or will I get penalized for it? It seems kinda stupid if a Servant can attack me and I can't defend myself."

Stupid? Stupid?! Servants were practically gods! If one of them went after even an Enforcer of the Clocktower then there was nothing that could be done about it. Fighting a Servant was equal to trying to stand up against a storm, or an earthquake, or a volcanic eruption.

Servants were just one step away from being forces of nature themselves.

And he was saying it was _stupid_ for being unable to defend himself?!

She shoved herself off of him, got off the line of bushes, and pressed her back against a tree. She peered her head around the corner to see where Illyasviel was. All she saw was the flickering movement of her birds. She snapped her head back around and prayed they didn't see her.

Shirou climbed out of the bushes. The boy _still_ had the bag of food in his hand. It was hardly crumbled as though he spent more effort in making sure the contents were unharmed rather than himself on their fall down.

"Emiya-kun… I don't know how much I can stress about this," she groaned as he gave her an expectant look. She was pinching the bridge of her nose in annoyance. "Nobody can stand up against a Servant. Only the likes of a Dead Apostle Ancestor, the Queen of the Clocktower, or a Magician can do it. Everyone else is basically cannon fodder."

"…Is that because they have special permission or because—"

She screamed and nearly pulled out her hair. "You know what?! NO! IT'S NOT AGAINST THE RULES! If you want to go fight a Servant than go for it! You won't get penalized! You'll only wind up dead! Why?! Because the Servant will kill you before you try!"

She should have controlled her anger. But there was no helping it when this _dumbass_ continued to harass her about such an idiocy. In the next instance, they were bombarded once more by a barrage of prana blasts. It tore apart the tree she was using for cover. She had no choice but to dash for new cover while firing Gandr shots in retaliation.

She _did not_ care one bit if Shirou got hit. She was washing her hands of him.

Suddenly, the barrage stopped. Rin was given the chance to catch her breath and regain her bearings. She rolled up the sleeve of her sweater, drawing upon more of her family's Magic Crest. She was preparing to use the Fin shot instead.

"What are you asking?" she heard Illyasviel ask.

When Rin peered around the corner of the tree, she nearly vaulted to the floor.

"I just want to confirm what Tohsaka-san said," Shirou, standing a few paces away from Illyasviel at the top of the hill, was leaning forward to speak with the girl at her eyelevel. "Is it against the rules of the Holy Grail War for Masters to fight against Servants? I'm asking because I don't want Kotomine to try anything to stop me. People will die if he does and I don't want that to happen."

Illyasviel looked at him the exact same way Rin did: as though he were mentally crippled.

"No, there're no rules like that," she chose to say in a careful and steady manner one would when addressing small children. "Official or unspoken. It's just common sense, Onii-chan. If you want to fight against my Berserker, I'll let you. He'll just turn you into mush if you want to die that badly. I suppose it'll be okay since your Servant can revive you."

"That's great then," he said with a smile. He then extended the hand carrying the bright multicolored bag. "This is for you, Illya-chan. I wasn't sure what you wanted so I got you the kid's meal. It even comes with a toy. I asked for the Purple Drag because it matches your dress… but they gave me the Red Blur instead. I'm sorry."

She stared at him a little differently. It went from piteous compassion for a mentally slow individual… to outright flabbergast because of sheer stupidity.

"I don't think your Servant put you together all that well," she commented.

He didn't know how to reply to that. He could only give a dry laugh as he stood straight and scratch the back of his head.

 _"Rin,"_ Archer called out to her through their connection. _"Get away from there."_

"Yeah, I know," she grumbled as she readied to blast the jailbait with a jewel packed with mana. "That idiot got himself caught by the enemy and he doesn't even realize it."

 _"Leave him. I have my shot. I'm taking it. You're within the blast radius."_

Her eyes widened slightly. He was serious about making his move. He would only hesitate to make sure she was out of danger.

So long, Emiya Shirou.

She really did try her best to make sure he could stand on his own two feet. But he was an idiot through and through. Just what did Sakura see in him?

For a moment, Rin considered trying to save him one final time. If only so that Sakura wouldn't cry over it. But, oh well. Shirou was also a Master of the Holy Grail War and had consented to participate. If he wasn't taken out now… Rin would have to fight her later on.

She pocketed the gem and began to run away from the group and noise of the battle.

0-0-0

Saber let out a grunt of frustration as her Excalibur slammed against the edge of Berserker's weapon. It was just a mass of sharpened rock amplified by magic. It was designed to be able to stand up against the pressure and abuse when waging against Noble Phantasms. Rather… it was designed to withstand the power of its wielder.

She continuously used her Prana Burst skill to counteract with Berserker's impossible speed and strength. Though her Master was able to fuel her with enough Prana to have her fight in her prime, she was growing weary over having to struggle like this. The match was going nowhere as they clashed without a victor in sight.

Berserker was a true monster. He did not slow with his bombardment of strikes. He did not tire. He did not flinch when Saber attacked nor hesitate when she feinted. He only attacked, and attacked, and attacked.

The road had scars carved into it. Trees had fallen. The land had been torn apart. The entire terrain of the hillside was being remade in their clash.

At the least, she had managed to get Berserker away from her Master. They continued their fight in the vacant graveyard.

Her Master… such a curious entity. He didn't give any reaction when Berserker first struck. It was almost as though he welcomed the Servant.

"Saber! Pull back!" Caster called out from high in the sky.

Saber could not chance to look what Caster was going to attempt to do. All of her focus was locked on Berserker and the slightest distraction would have her head. She had to rely on her instinct most of the time as tactics could not be applied against an unpredictable savage.

She could have ignored Caster. They were two Servants fighting for the same prize.

However… Caster hadn't attacked Saber while she was occupied with Berserker. Perhaps because then there would be nothing to keep the beast at bay and Caster would have to deal with him herself. Perhaps. Treachery wasn't unknown to the Servant of the Sword.

She fell back, using a Prana Burst to gather speed. Berserker leapt for her without falter.

A torrent of magical energies, distorting the air in a myriad of colors, rained down from the heavens with enough power behind each projectile to level the field. Explosion after explosion tore up the ground, lit up the night, and created a symphony of blasts that could have awoken the dead.

Caster flew over their heads with several magic glyphs glowing around her. Each one was just as intricate as the scribble Merlin would have used in his workshop. And each one was coursing immense layers of magical energy at their core.

Berserker stopped moving… if only for a moment. Smoke rose off of his skin but there was no sign the wrought of magic had done anything to hinder him.

"Such thick skin…" Caster cursed as she spread her cloak apart. More glyphs appeared underneath the fabrics. They were prescribed spells ready to be unleashed at a trigger moment.

And then, Berserker jumped.

He fired off of the ground, kicking hard enough to leave a crater. His body was a black blur as he rose to the sky like a bullet.

Caster gasped. Her glyphs glowed brighter as the spell within started to awaken. However… none of them would be able to activate in time.

Saber leapt up to slam against Berserker. Her sword struck his vantbrace. He hardly moved any mail aside. But here was where it will do.

"Caster!" Saber barked as she gripped her sword tighter. The wind concealing the blade reacted to her command.

A concussive blast of wind fired off of the tip of her sword. The Hammer of the Wind King, the authority granted to her by the Faerie King which concealed Excalibur, erupted off of the sword and bit into the side of Berserker. Finally, she was able to tear into his skin. The sharp and fierce winds stripped the first few layers of his flesh, revealing muscle and bone alike.

Whether Caster understood or not was irrelevant. She continued with her spell while Berserker's launch had been slowed. It was just enough.

Another barrage of prana missiles was unleashed from within Caster's cloak. Most rebounded off of Berserker's body in the same way he had been able to parry Saber's sword. However, with the insides exposed, they bit into him and scorched him from within.

Saber remained unharmed. Her own Magic Resistance was strong enough to negate all of Caster's volley. Though, the Servant of the Spell had been careful to not harm her supposed partner.

Berserker swatted away what he could with his axe-sword. But not when having to deal with the innumerable salvo of magic projectiles and Saber disorienting him with her prior strike.

Saber leapt off of him just as he fell back down to the ground. His weapon sank into the hollow ground right after.

Caster glided down to stand beside Saber. She had her cloak wrapped around her shoulders to conceal herself once again. Saber couldn't see what her hands were doing beneath.

"That's quite the interesting Noble Phantasm you have," she commented with a wry smile. "There aren't very many legends about having a sword that can control the wind."

Saber clenched Excalibur a little tighter. The barrier of wind had returned to conceal the true nature of her weapon.

"Nor are there very many who can dabble in the archaic like you," she retorted.

"This is all just the result of proper preparations," Caster returned as she eyed the smoldering corpse of Berserker. "Shirou and I engaged with him before. He is Heracles, the greatest warrior in all of Greek history. He had been able to get through my spells before. Because I've seen him do it before…"

"You were able to plan ahead," Saber finished. "I see now. Negligence is the enemy. May I ask, Caster? What would you have done if I hadn't been around?"

"Scorch the land until there is nothing but molten lava," Caster retorted without hesitation. "And then sink him and quickly cool it into obsidian. His skin might be tough but no warrior can survive asphyxiation."

Saber considered the woman for a moment. "I see… Suffocation certainly is the enemy…"

"I'm so glad you agree," Caster said with a more writhe smile.

Their conversation was broken by the sound coming from Berserker. His body twitched. Smoke rose out of his body as it began to glow an eerie red.

Berserker jerked. His body rose out of the ground as flesh and bone started to regenerate.

"What a monster," Caster swore as she looked at the warrior.

Saber readied her sword for another bout. "Nothing is definite, Caster. This must be his Noble Phantasm. But there must be limits and weaknesses to it."

"Perhaps…" the Servant of the Spell muttered. "We could go at this until we do learn that restriction. But I'm not a fighter like you, Saber. I have a better idea."

Saber looked over her shoulder while Berserker finished his regeneration.

"Shirou~" Caster turned, brought her hands around her mouth, and called out to their Master. "We could use some help over here!"

"The role of the Servant is to fight for the Master's stead!" Saber snapped back. "Not the other way around! And he is no Magus! What could he do to—"

Berserker wasn't going to wait for them to settle their dispute. He was nothing more than a machine with a single program. He grabbed onto his stone weapon and came at the two of them in a flash. He roared and swung his weapon with enough speed and power to blow away the set of tombstones in a several meter radius.

Saber spun back around and readied her weapon. Her eyes sharpened as a set of combos and strikes played through her mind. Her body reacted after decades of experience. The song of battle came as naturally to her as breathing.

A hand was pressed against her breastplate.

Her eyes widened with shock. Her Master, Shirou, hadn't been there before at her side. He looked up at Berserker as it approached with devastating speed. His hand was against her chest and pushing her back with strength that shouldn't have moved her.

She should have been curious. She should have been surprised by this feat. Instead, she was horrified. Her Master was going up against a Servant! Though all he had done was make her stumble a single step back, that single step was a grave hindrance. It would take her at least half a second to recover and launch back to his defense.

That was all the time Berserker needed to finish his strike.

The ground erupted once more as the arc of the swing came crumbling down. Her Master was caught dead in the center of the strike. Saber had no choice but to throw up her arms as a cloud of dirt blew into her face. But she gritted through it and began to ready her sword when Berserker began his next round of swings.

"I'm not going to bother saying it."

Her eyes widened. That voice… that was the voice of her Master.

When next she looked, she couldn't believe what she was seeing.

Berserker's sword-axe had indeed come down to smash onto her Master. It the edge of the blade had stopped centimeters from his face. Her Master hadn't flinched. There was no indication he had been worried at all by Berserker's strike. He stood tall with his eyes blazing in defiance at the enemy Servant.

No. Not defiance. Annoyance. As though Berserker was a disrespectful brat.

The blade had been stopped. Shirou had stopped the blade! Most of his shirt had been torn off from being so close to the sonic boom. His arm was raised with his fingers digging into the flat of Berserker's weapon. It was hardly a human hand; being one in shape only.

It was comprised of some sort of silvery narrow metal plating overlapping each other. It breathed. It writhed as though being alive.

Flesh started to reappear and hide them. It was starting to become a human arm once again.

"…You wouldn't understand if I say it!"

Her Master roared out with irritation. He sent his other hand around.

For the first time since their engagement, Saber saw Berserker _block._ The innate instinct all living creatures felt in their deepest core sprang within the Servant of Madness. He brought his arms up in defense.

It did nothing as Shirou tore straight through his arms and body in a single swing. He had moved faster than any Servant, faster than Saber with Prana Burst and faster than Berserker in all his ferocity. While both Servants could attest to being called 'blurs', Shirou had been an instantaneous flicker.

Berserker was split down the middle faster than Saber could blink.

In his other hand was… a matching weapon of Berserker's. It was equally as large. But… the shape was a little off. And the color was different. The blade was carved out of a different type of stone with painstaking care. It resembled a weapon of war rather than the crude makeshift Berserker was using.

The weapon had come out of virtually nowhere.

"Watch this, Saber," Caster said with too much cheer. "You're going to really enjoy this. This… This is why our Master is the strongest there is."

Saber could only blink as she stared at the other Servant. Caster wasn't going to give anything else away. She wasn't going to give away any other secret other than the fact she _knew_ what Shirou was. She knew how Shirou could do something like this.

All Saber could do was watch with supreme bafflement.

Shirou remained poise. His eyes were still locked on Berserker. He didn't move, knowing the mad Servant would return from death.

And so he did. Berserker's body lit up and began to smoke just as he would have before. His body reattached itself and he began to climb back to his feet.

"When I first saw you…" Shirou muttered as Berserker was nearly done. "I didn't understand. I couldn't tell if you were human or beast."

He brought his weapon down in the same blinding speed and power. Berserker didn't get the chance to protect himself again. He was cut in half in a clean diagonal stroke. His torso slid off the waist.

The cycle continued. Berserker's body heated up and began to repair.

"I wasn't sure if I could reason with you or cut you down!"

It happened again. Shirou slew him before he could fully finish. A moment passed and Berserker started to heal again.

"You were once Heracles, slayer of the Hydra. You were my predecessor. You killed several of Gaia's Effigies. There was so much I wanted to ask you!"

Again.

"How am I supposed to make notes if you're just mindless?!"

"That's what you care about?!" Caster blurted out.

Shirou twitched, just about to swing his blade but drawing it back. He let it rest on his shoulder— which was yet another ludicrous sight of itself— and turned to regard Caster.

"Well, yeah," he said in a simple tone. "I was kinda looking forward to having him over for dinner. That's where I get the best results for my research. I wanted to see his reaction. Maybe even hear a couple of stories to compare myself to him. But I can't do that if he's—"

"Shirou!" Saber shouted in alarm.

His eyes flicked towards her, "Yeah?"

She watched as Berserker finished his rejuvenation and brought a bare fist down onto Shirou. The ground shook from the impact.

But Shirou remained standing. His brows became a slight scowl as his back slouched. It was the only reaction he made in regards to Berserker's attack.

That, and the transformation of his skin taking over most of his torso. Skin had become the same metallic substance she had seen from his arm. It started from his back where Berserker had struck and had branched out to wrap around his abdomen and crawl up his neck.

Berserker moved again to bring about another swing of his other fist.

With the same irritated expression as before, Shirou spun on his heels and brought his axe-sword around. In a whirlwind, Berserker's body was sliced apart into thirds.

He dropped the weapon, letting it fall with a heavy thud onto what remained of the grass.

When next she looked, he was holding onto a sheathed katana.

"Changing tactics?" Caster asked with mild amusement this time. Most of her wonder of the situation had dwindled as she looked around for a spot to sit.

"He'll come back a few more times if I keep this up," Shirou explained as he took a stance. His left hand held the sheath while his right reached for the hilt. "And he gains resistance every time I kill him. I'm going to make sure he stays down."

"Shirou," Saber stepped up. "This is a contest between Servants. Regardless of the quality of your… abilities, you should allow your Servants to fight in your stead. Such is the purpose of the Holy Grail War."

He eyed her for a long silence.

He then stood straight, but he never let go of the katana. "Alright. I guess that seems fair. This is your guy's event anyways. But you know, Saber, I could win the Grail for you if you let me."

She frowned at that. "Shirou, that is the least of my desires. I wish to achieve the Grail through my own merits."

"…Sure then," he said after giving it some more thought. His eyes flicked back towards the forest, "But that doesn't mean I won't stop playing the part of a Master. I'll support you. Even if it means fighting the other Masters."

There was the sound of a squeal. Illyasviel fell back as soon as his eyes had met hers. She clutched the cheap plastic toy as though it was the difference between life and death. She had been there since the beginning. She had been ecstatic to see him jump in front of Berserker. She had been wanting to see him fall apart like last time and see if his Servant could repair him again.

Instead, she witnessed a nightmare.

"Berserker!" she screamed.

Marks lit up her entire body. Command Seals enscribed onto her by the head of the Einzbern Family. It was something of a loophole in her design. She didn't have the traditional three Commands like the conventional Master. She could have as many as she wanted. But, her only drawback was that she could only activate one Command per day.

And she had used it to have her Servant appear in front of her to act as a shield.

Berserker crouched down and cradled Illyasviel in his arms. He lifted her up and started to flee upon her demand.

"They're getting away!" Caster called out.

"Shirou, should we pursue?" Saber asked.

He didn't answer. He wasn't paying any of them any mind. He had even dismissed Illyasviel and Berserker entirely. His head was craned towards the city. His eyes narrowed.

A heavy frown fell on his face.

"You're not using that right," he growled with the most extreme irritation from the night.

0-0-0

Something overcame Archer. He had been ready to create his Projected Noble Phantasm while Saber and Caster were in the midst of fighting Berserker. He could have taken out two birds with one stone. Well, _five_ if he was going to be technical.

But then, the Master to Saber and Caster appeared and changed _everything._

He knew something wasn't right about him. It had nothing to do with the irksome sense of déjà vu plaguing his mind. It didn't even have anything to do with the fact he was comfortable around a pseudo force of creation like the moonlit woman.

The real indicator was how he could handle two Servants without showing any signs of burden. While the Grail handled most of the weight, summoning and binding a Servant was no small feat. Even his Master, the petite spitfire of a Magus, had a rich amount of reserves that could afford only _one_ Servant.

Maybe Caster had been able to botch the system. Who knows? It was possible a Magus from legend could have found something in the ritual that could allow the Emiya kid to handle both her and Saber.

None of it mattered.

Once he saw Shirou's true form, upon gazing at that arm, did Archer's world change.

His senses narrowed. Something whispered in the back of his mind. Something was screaming from his core. Something from the absolute pit that made up his existence was demanding action.

It was from the same source that demanded he be summoned as a Servant. A greater force beyond mortal comprehension.

Emiya Shirou **needed** to die.

He drew back his bow, charged the spiral sword with enough Prana to make it unstable, and readied his aim.

The thing pretending to be human snapped his head towards Archer as soon as the draw was back. Golden eyes could see straight to the Servant despite being miles away on the tallest skyscraper in all of Fuyuki. The thing could perceive Archer at this distance and knew what he was about to do.

Rather than put up any sort of defense or flee, the creature stood its ground and said something.

 _ **You're not using that right.**_

Something shook within Archer's mind.

It was only then did he remember **everything.**

A wish. It all started with a wish. It was always because of a wish.

It was why his heart was made of glass.

Nothing changed.

"Caladbolg!" he invoked and let his weapon fly.

0-0-0

"Shirou?" Saber blinked. "What are you talking about? What about Berserker and his Master? Are we going to just leave them be and—"

"Something's coming!" Caster shouted from where she sat. She jumped up to her feet and looked up at the sky. Her eyes widened in a frenzy. "MOVE!"

She used her magic to reach for Saber first. She wouldn't have time to reach her Master. All she could do was wrap Saber around her cloak and teleport them both away. She could only pray her Master was strong enough to survive against something of this caliber.

There was a flash of red that streaked across the night sky. The dark was lit up with an eruption of crimson magic. A magic missile struck where they had once been. It destroyed everything in its wake.

A massive crater remained at what had once been the graveyard of Kotomine Church.

And standing at the center was… something.

It shimmered as the flames of the aftermath reflected off its metallic surface. The sound of screeching metal echoed throughout the field as its body lifted itself off the ground.

It stood with folds of sharpened metal swimming around, crawling over another like an army of metallic insects trying to find their proper position. Eventually, it began to settle like water stagnating.

A human male body made out of silver came out of it.

Shirou stood tall with his head still peering up in the direction the projectile originated from. Skin started to reform over him, pushing back the truth of his existence from the world yet again.

His hand curled around something. They wrapped around the hilt of a sword as though it had always been there.

Power coursed through its spiraled edge.

 **"This is how you use it!"** his voice echoed with raw power and authority as though he were a force of nature itself.

He brought the sword around, stabbing into the air.

Miles away, the top ten floors of Fuyuki Tower were blown away.

0-0-0

"Okay… Archer…" Rin panted as she leaned on her knees. She had sprinted the entire time until she was at the bottom of the hill. Doing that _without_ tripping was a feat of itself. "I think this is far enough. You can fire whenever—"

She nearly jerked when the sound of a ginormous boom reached her ears. She felt the ground beneath her quake.

Geez. Archer seriously wasn't trying to hold back this time. Whatever he used could be felt all the way down here. He must have used his Noble Phantasm for that one. But… just what sort of weapon was it? Anti-Army? It had to be if it could do this much damage.

She also hoped that fake priest wasn't going to try to send her the bill for reparations.

"Did you get them?" she asked through their connection.

There wasn't a reply. There was only an uncomfortable tug from their connection. Something had shaken Archer enough for him to fall into distress. Either someone had survived… or…

Rin's answer came from what could be best be described as a shooting star. A shooting star below the stratosphere, traveling at Mach speeds, and lighting up the night like a second sun.

Then came another detonation. Her view of the projectile was blocked by being at the bottom of the hill this time.

But… she knew what happened based on her connection to Archer.

"Archer!" she called out in a panic. "Archer! What happened?!"

No answer.

"Archer! Answer me! Are you hurt?! What was that?! Was that Caster?! Did she send your attack back at you?!"

Still no answer.

"You stupid jerk! You better answer me or—"

"You don't need to yell. I'm right here."

She spun on her heels, slipped, and fell on her rear.

Archer crossed his arms and gave her a wry grin of amusement.

"Don't you give me that look!" she stood quickly with her face burning. "Answer me when I call."

"Sorry, Master," he gave a lax shrug. "I was a little busy trying to save my own skin."

"…Well?" she pressed when he fell silent. "What happened? What was that just now?"

He looked back up towards the hill. His eyes narrowed slightly as he grimaced. "Don't know. I fired an arrow at them. And next I knew, they were sending something just as big and bad back at me. I had to get out of the way before I could be vaporized. It cleaved off the top layer of the skyscraper though."

"T-The skyscraper…?" she gaped at him. "The skyscraper. You mean… Einzbern or Emiya's team did something that damaged a skyscraper?! How are we going to cover that up?!"

He could only shrug. "I don't think that's the important part, Master."

"How is that not?! This War is supposed to be a secret! Do you have any idea what's going to be on the news tomorrow?!"

"I understand," he said in a more firm voice. "But first we need to consider our situation. We're outclassed, Rin. The Einzbern Master has Berserker and can best you in combat. And Emiya has _two_ Servants. Saber and Caster. That's a dreadful combination if you think about it."

"And they're all alive?" she questioned. "They managed to make it out of your attack."

"They did. And replied in kind."

She almost let out a sigh. She instead cupped a few fingers around her mouth as she thought. "I'll think of something. Right now, let's just go home. We can consider our options after we're behind the Boundary Field."

He didn't respond. His attention was still locked on the top of the hill.

Rather, his eyes were locked on the hill. But his attention was elsewhere deep in his mind.

…And listening to something similar to how Shirou would.

"What is it?" she asked.

"…It's nothing," he said suddenly. "Let's get out of here before either of those Masters show up."

She had to force herself from narrowing her eyes. It was as clear as day he was hiding something from her.

Unfortunately, she couldn't press him about it. Not now anyways.

They took off. Archer held her close as he leapt from the rooftops to reach her mansion as quickly as possible.


	7. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

 **Four Unfortunate City Kings**

 **One Friendly Fool**

"Thanks for the cloak, Caster," he said as soon as they were back within the Emiya manor.

"Certainly, Shirou," Caster said while looking down at his feet. It had been a long hike from Kotomine Church back to the residential area of plain old Fuyuki. And, though it had been late in the evening, Shirou had led them askew in the name of avoiding people. Some sonar implanted in his brain told him when someone was about to spot their little troupe.

She wondered briefly if his feet must be killing him. Rather, _could_ his feet be aching? He took an explosion that could have only come from a Noble Phantasm directly. He came out virtually unscathed from the attack.

…Virtually. His clothes were completely incinerated. Hence why he had bundled himself within her cloak.

"Now that we are behind adequate protections," Saber began as she dismissed her battle armor, revealing the attire of a white and blue battle dress. "Shirou, I believe there are matters that cannot be withheld any further."

"We do, don't we?" Shirou asked in an innocent tone. It was as if she had told him there was a chance for rain and he should bring an umbrella. "It's about the Holy Grail War, isn't it?"

Saber nodded once. She glanced at Caster before going back to Shirou, "Yes, it is. But upon witnessing events unfold tonight, I would like to ask questions regarding you. A human in today's age should not be able to withstand against the likes of a Servant."

"There are exceptions…" he sulked like a child. "Alright, alright. Just gimme a sec to go put on some clothes. Caster, can you make us some tea please? I'll be right back."

"Of course," Caster said while heading towards the kitchen. With a wave of her hand did cupboards fly open, the kettle levitated out, was filled with water from the sink, and rested on the burner on the stove. However, she took time to look through her Master's inventory to pick which sort of tea she wanted to brew. He had such a colorful collection.

"I will say this right now, Saber," Caster began as she picked up one particular box from the cabinet. Her tone was playful but also laced with a faint warning. "I have no intentions at all in making Shirou my enemy."

Saber did not take a seat by the table. She stood erect with her attention fully locked on Caster. Her tone was crisp while as polite as can be towards a potential enemy.

"I concur. However, my words are not swayed by what he may be. Though irregular as the summoning performed, he is my Master. So long as he continues to strive for the Grail, he will have my full support."

"Hmm…" Caster hummed to herself as she eyed Saber. She paused to pull a strand of hair behind her ear. "And what if I told you Shirou has no interest at all in the Grail? If you recall, _he_ was the one who said he would support us. He didn't specify whether he was going to go out of his way for the war at all. What will you do when he sees the war as an inconvenience to his… prearranged life?"

Saber gave a slow blink, masking her emotions to not reveal anything to the other woman. "I will keep my word. I will continue to fight for the Grail. Even if that means my Master cannot be there at all times.

"But what of you, Caster? Will you pursue the Grail as well?"

"You mean do I plan on stabbing you in the back at some point?" Caster asked with a cocked brow and a snarky smile. She had no intentions to hide her emotions like the stalwart knight. "There can only be one victor in the Holy Grail War, Saber. One Master and one Servant. Having you complicates things, doesn't it?"

It was the question Saber had indirectly asked. They were both bound to the same Master. They could work together in the war until all other Servants were dealt with. However… there can only be one victor.

At some point, Saber and Caster will have to fight the other over the Grail.

"I'm back," Shirou said while tugging on the bottom of his shirt. He stopped in his tracks to exchange glances with Saber and Caster. "Um… is everything okay?"

Caster almost snorted. The act might have been able to fool anyone else but she had started to get a grasp on his mannerisms. _Everything_ he did was calculated. She wouldn't be surprised if he had finished and waited in the hall, listening to their conversation.

It was too convenient he came in at the perfect time before the two Servants were at each other's throats.

"Saber-chan and I were just having some girl talk," Caster said anyways, playing along with his charade. She waved a hand in dismissal, "Some things that can't be spoken in front of a boy, Shirou. Anyways, the tea is almost ready if you don't mind waiting a few more minutes."

"Oh, right, sure," Shirou said with an embarrassed look. His eyes wouldn't meet Saber's as he entered the dining area and took his usual seat at the table's head.

Saber took it as her cue to seat herself at his left. It was positioned to be close to him while being able to face towards Caster in the kitchen.

"Caster, I put your cloak in the laundry bin," Shirou said towards the Servant of Spells. "I'll be sure to wash it in the morning."

"That's not needed, Shirou," Caster argued. "It's just as phantasmal as I am. All it'll take is a bit of prana to bring it back to pristine condition. Besides… you don't mean to wash my garment with your laundry, do you?"

"I was going to wash it with the dress she wore," he mumbled. By 'she', he was referring to the strange woman the Master of Archer came with. "I know that much at least. Believe me. Both Fuji-nee and Sakura-chan gave me an earful about it. But I still don't get it. You can save so much water and electricity if we all bundle our stuff together."

"That is sound reasoning," Saber commented. Her head tilted slightly for a moment. "Shirou, the woman from earlier. Who is she? And does she not have a name?"

"Hmm…" Shirou tilted his head with a little more emotion than Saber's gesture. He crossed his arms as he looked away in thought. "She's… kind of just a stray that wanders here every now and then. I give her some food. It's only within the last year did I get her to start wearing clothes…"

He rubbed the side of his face with an uncomfortable expression.

Despite taking a Noble Phantasm and coming unscathed, he still had the claw marks left from the woman when he put her in the bath.

"So Saber," he spoke up suddenly. "What was it you wanted to talk about?"

She regarded him for a moment. He didn't fully answer her first question and he had ignored her second. But… it was his private affair. She shouldn't pry into it.

"Forgive me if my approach may sound rude. But I wish to be clear. What are you, Shirou?"

"…That's not very clear," he mumbled, almost sulking. "I'm a high school student? I'm not a magus like Tohsaka so I don't know how I was able to summon you."

Saber gave a small frown. "Please do not treat me like a fool, Shirou. I am asking what sort of person you are to be able to match the strength of a Servant."

"Ah, that…" Shirou muttered in a low voice and a nod of understanding.

…He said nothing else.

"Thank you, Caster," he said once the Servant came with a tray of tea mugs. He accepted his with an appreciative smile, blew on it a few times, and took a long sip.

Caster placed one in front of Saber before taking a seat at Shirou's other flank, being able to smile as sweet as venom towards her _temporary_ teammate.

"Shirou," Saber spoke with a patient tone. "If we are to claim the Holy Grail, it's important I know everything I can about you. So that I can fulfill my duties as a Servant, to protect and fight in your stead. I need to know how well you can manage on your own on the chance I am unable to come to your aid."

Shirou blinked a few times with a slightly astonished look. "Huh. That is a good point…"

He put his cup down, crossed his arms again, and, the best way Saber could describe it, began listening for something. His head was slightly downcast while his eyes were sharp but staring at nothing. His brows furrowed once before relaxing.

"You don't need to worry about protecting me," he said with a gentle tone and a sincere smile. He picked his cup back up. "Nothing in this war can threaten me. Even if you and Caster came at me together. In fact, I could win the entire war myself if I wanted to."

He didn't say it with confidence. He said it as though it were truth. As though he had just looked outside and said the sky was blue.

Caster remained silent as she drank her tea. She had the expression that told Saber she had this sort of conversation before with him.

"…But how?" Saber asked. Her brows furrowed. "How were you able to defeat Berserker where it took two other Servants to quell? How were you able to remain standing when Archer used his Noble Phantasm? How can you do these things and not exhaust yourself?"

"That reminds me," Shirou said with a slight jolt. "Ah, Saber, I forgot to ask you. I already asked Caster. But what is it you want to gain from the Grail?"

Her brows furrowed further. "Please do not change the subject."

"I'm not," he said with a shrug. "I'll tell you what I told Caster. So long as you don't endanger the lives of the innocent, I will support you. But if your wish is something that'll demand my attention… I'll stop you. That's what I am."

Saber tensed at that. There wasn't a single iota of malevolence in his tone. If anything, it was perfectly innocent. He wasn't threatening her. Like before, he was stating a simple fact.

She remembered a time when that old pervert was still her mentor. He had said something so strikingly similar she couldn't help but be reminded of it.

"Shirou," she spoke up, recalling a conversation she once had long before. "What is more important? The sword? Or the sheath?"

"The sword," he answered immediately without a need to think. "In my experience, the sword gets rid of threats while protecting others. I don't understand the point of the sheath."

Yes. She once had the same response. But the old magus had scolded her for it.

"The sheath protects the sword," Caster pointed out. "Without it, the sword would chip, rust, and eventually break."

"I've never made a sword that could be broken," Shirou grumbled under his breath before sipping on his tea again. He put the cup down and regarded Saber once more. "Saber, you ask me who I am and what I can do. Can you tell me the same thing? I know Saber isn't your real name."

"You will have to forgive me, Shirou," Saber bowed her head in apology but didn't look away from him. "As you claim to not be a magus, I assume you also have no protections against their magecraft? Perhaps against offensive techniques of force… but what of the more subtle and elusive techniques? Such as assaults on the mind?"

"…Can you do that, Caster?" Shirou asked the one at his right.

"It would be redundant," she replied. "As I am your Servant, I can use our connection to enter your mind and hear your thoughts. Whatever thoughts there are, anyhow. Your head is rather vacant, Shirou."

It wasn't a joke, no matter how sarcastic of a tone she took. She couldn't hear anything. She wasn't sure if it was because her technical Master, Shirou's severed hand preserved in the workshop, was disconnected from Shirou or because of whatever it was Shirou truly was.

"I guess not if Caster can," Shirou sighed and went back to Saber. "Then that means you won't tell me your name?"

"A Servant's name is a great weakness in this war," Saber answered. "Should an enemy Servant and Master learn my name, they can research my legend and find any weakness I may possess; both of what I know and what I am unaware of. They would be able to find a way to defeat me."

Shirou frowned at that, but nodded. His hands released from the cup to cross his arms. He didn't say anything as he stared off into open space. He was lost in his own thoughts.

He moved, reaching for something in his jean pocket. His face warped to one of annoyance when the pocket was empty. He patted his pants in search for something. More annoyance crossed his face until he gave out a sigh.

"I'm sorry," he said eventually with a nervous smile. "I actually don't know how to go further with this conversation. Archer destroyed my notebook. That's two this war has cost me… Why don't we just call it a night?"

"It was a rather eventful evening," Caster supplied. "Two enemy Servants with a third blindsiding us and that mystery woman coming and going. I'm content with retiring. Unless you have something else you want to demand from our charitable Master, Saber-chan?"

Saber almost glowered at her. Her eyes were as sharp as steel behind a mask of utmost neutrality.

"Just one concern," she said while looking back at Shirou. "The sleeping arrangements. Shirou, I was summoned while an enemy Servant was attacking your den."

"Uh huh…" Shirou slowly nodded once, not knowing where this conversation was going.

"In order to ensure your safety and respond the quickest to a probable Servant attack, I would like to be quartered with you. Even better if I sleep directly at your side."

For a moment, Shirou didn't move. He didn't blink, he didn't breathe, and only stared directly at Saber with an inhuman stillness.

"Sorry, what?" Shirou offered a strained smile. "Saber, can't you just turn invisible like Caster? Isn't that enough?"

"Unfortunately," Saber responded with her brows furrowing slightly, "due to the irregularity of my summoning, I am an incomplete Servant. Though I possess all the feats and strengths of a normal Servant, it would seem I cannot turn into my astral form."

Shirou studied her a little longer. He exchanged a look with Caster. His expression was blank. Hers was full of skepticism.

"…I don't know how I'm supposed to respond," he admitted while turning back to Saber. "Um… Saber, I'm the best defense of this house. If anyone attacks, be it a Servant, a Master, or anything else out there, I will protect you both. This is my house and you are my guests."

It sounded like he was reading from a cue card.

"Perhaps," Saber pressed on. "But I lack the knowledge of your limits, which you refuse to release to me. I will not pry into it any further if you don't wish to tell. But until I understand the situation better this is what I propose. I do not know if the events tonight have dwindled your… strength. I do not know if you may be overwhelmed or outdone by an enemy Servant.

"We are each legendary heroes who have achieved everlasting immortality through impossible feats, Shirou. Do not be surprised if there is a hero out there with a Noble Phantasm that may harm you. I will not risk the chance if such a hero is summoned in this war."

He frowned with his face turning into one of conflicting thoughts. He looked away.

"I don't know, Saber…" he said. "It's just… you're a girl. It's improper to have us sleeping in the same room together."

"You don't seem to have any complaints about that Sakura girl," Caster added.

"You're not helping," he grumbled back.

"Before I am a woman," Saber spoke sharply. "I am a Servant. I am your sword and shield, Shirou. You will treat me as such."

More confliction. It overwhelmed him. His head slammed against the flat of the table.

"I'll figure something out," he said while slowly dragging himself up to his feet. "Wait here for a bit. Caster, don't forget to clean the kitchen."

"…What?" Caster blinked, sat up a little straighter, and looked at the catastrophe near the sink. All sorts of cooking utensils and appliances were stacked over the other due to the smorgasbord of confections Shirou had made for his mystery woman.

"I told you I was going to make you clean it," he said while walking back down the hallway and towards his room.

"I thought you were joking!" Caster called back. He didn't respond. She groaned, stared angrily at the labor, knowing it was staring back at her, and eventually sighed with resignation.

She could have argued better. There were plenty of witty remarks she could have used, comments she could throw that he had said earlier. But, at the end, she would still wind up doing it so prolonging the inevitable was pointless.

"I'd rather deal with the Berserker again," she muttered but stood and went to go face her greatest challenge yet.

Saber watched her for a moment, rolling up her sleeves and began to organize things with her magic. Pots and pans lifted out of the air as sponges, water, and soap began to slap themselves onto them and scrub away. Plastic containers were pulled out of the shelf while the fridge was opened to store away any leftovers.

Saber got up from the table and went to go find Shirou. She moved silently through the hallway until finding the one room with the light peering through the doorway.

"Shirou," she called out while knocking politely on the door. Without waiting for a response, she entered his room.

The room was large, if not a little Spartan with the lack of decorations. It had all the essentials such as curtains for the window, a dresser against one wall, a closet, and a small table at the center. Instead of wood for the floors, it was lined with tatami mats.

Shirou sat on one corner of the room. A tatami mat was lifted, revealing a secret compartment underneath. Within it was a fireproof box, opened, and containing a series of notebooks within sealed bags. He had a few of them sprawled out on the floor while reading intently.

"Shirou, regarding the previous matter," she said while approaching him. "There are things you need to take into consideration."

"I don't know," he said while looking up. His voice was monotone while his eyes stared at nothing. "I've never encountered a situation like this. How does a normal person react towards a Servant, who is female, wanting to sleep in the same room in the name of protection? Do I treat it as a supernatural occurrence and panic? Do I treat you as a female and freak out? Or do I treat it as a potential threat against my life and freak out…?"

"…Shirou?" she spoke to him, trying to gain his attention.

"There are three different ways to freak out over this," he continued, looking down and flipping pages of three different notebooks. "If it's supernatural then I shouldn't believe in anything happening and laugh it off in a delusional way. If it's because she's a woman then I should stutter, become fluster, increase my heartrate and produce sweat… maybe mutter nonsense of irrationality. But if it's a threat against my life then I either need to make measurements to ensure my safety… or flop around and possibly sob. Which one do I choose…?"

She watched him flip through the notebooks, compared inscriptions with others, and go back to previous pages.

"I might not understand what's going on…" Saber drawled out slowly, almost unsurely as she watched him behave like this. "But, in my opinion, I believe the entire situation is beyond normality."

His eyes flicked up towards her. She now had his full attention.

More than that. His eyes told her he was going to absorb every piece of detail she would say next. He would gorge on it, devour it, and make it his.

She sat down across of him with her legs tucked under her. "This is a battle between seven Master and seven Servants. There can only be seven Masters, chosen by the Grail itself in the entirety of the world. For you to have two Servants is an extreme irregularity. One might say you are twice a Master. You are furthest from normal, Shirou."

He became still. Lifeless. Yet there was still something sharp in his eyes. Something predatory and dangerous. It was the same presence he bore when he had decided he would kill the Einzbern Master.

Saber was not perturbed by it, though she will not deny she was ready to defend herself if needed. "Be that as it may, and in spite of your uniqueness, I must also say the way you are behaving right now is something any rational and sane individual would in the same situation."

"…Really?" he asked with something like hope in his voice.

Saber nodded once, "In a sense. People fall back on what is most familiar in times of crisis and desperation. I have seen it all too much in times of war. Be it the simple farmer to the proud warrior. They all fall into habits in order to quell their fears."

"But I'm not really afraid," he argued back, looked away in thought, and scratched the top of his head.

"Perhaps not fear, but you are certainly unsure of yourself," she continued in a soft but firm voice. "Insecurity is the enemy, Shirou. You seek guidance in… these books because you do not know how to come to terms with the reality presented before you. It is understandable."

"I guess that's one way to look at it," he muttered, thought about her words a little longer, and then eventually nodded. "Okay. So then, Saber, what would you do in this case?"

"You should trust me," she said simply. "I am your Servant. I am bound to you and have sworn to follow you during this Holy Grail War. We are in this together, Shirou. By my honor as a knight, I will serve you to the best of my abilities. I shall protect you and grant you council whenever you are in need.

"My first piece of advice is to allow me to remain with you in this room while you sleep."

Shirou's brows furrowed as he thought. His eyes remained locked with Saber's. He blinked a few times while she remained solid in her fortitude. She did not budge an inch to emphasize her approach.

"I guess… tonight is fine until I figure something out," he said with a resigned sigh. He began to gather the notebooks back and put them in their bags. "If you give me a minute I'll pull out one of the futons. I'll also try to find you something to wear."

"That won't be necessary," she insisted. "I am fine sleeping in this."

"Saber, that can't be comfortable," he eyed her dress before putting everything away and resetting the tatami mat. "If you're going to insist on this then you might as well do it right. Hold on. I might have something…"

"Shirou," her voice was firm. "I am a Servant. There is no need for you to go out of your way for something as mundane as sleeping attire."

"Caster said the same thing about food," he said while heading towards his closet. He began to rummage within. "But that didn't stop me from cooking for her."

His words made her pause. She couldn't imagine going without his food. As a Servant, all she needed was to feed off of the prana he sent through their connection. Food _could_ be digested and turned into extra prana but the gain was so minimal it wasn't worth it unless consumed in unworldly sums.

Yet she couldn't voice anything out that might make him consider not preparing the next meal for the two Servants.

"Here we are," he said as he pulled out two pieces of garment for her. "Sorry if they're for boys. It's some of my old clothes from middle school. I don't think anything I have now will fit you. The bathroom is the first door right before the dining room. You can change and freshen up in there while I get everything ready."

He handed them over to Saber— a plain t-shirt and gym shorts— before returning to the closet and pulling out a matching futon set. He carried them across the room until reaching the center.

"Excuse me then," Saber announced and headed towards the washroom like he instructed.

A moment later, she returned to find Shirou dressed and ready for bed. He was in his futon but sitting upright while talking to Caster. The other futon was positioned right beside Shirou's.

The Servant of the Spell saw Saber in her given nightwear and couldn't help but smirk. "Why Shirou, I didn't know this was what you were into. Whatever will Sakura say once she finds out about this?"

He looked at Saber, stared for a moment, blinked, and then looked back at Caster. "I don't get it. Is that some kind of perverted talk? Saber isn't dressed in anything like Shinji's magazines. And I thought this war was supposed to be a secret. There's no way I can tell Sakura about either of you."

"You're no fun sometimes," Caster breathed out with irritation.

Saber said nothing to the two of them as she climbed into her offered futon and sank into the sheets. She remained awake, however, until Shirou retired for the night.

"Is everything comfortable, Saber?" Shirou asked her.

"Yes, thank you Shirou," she replied in kind. Though she would have preferred to remain in her dress. Should a fight break out and she conjured her armor and gown once again, the garments Shirou let her borrow would be ruined.

"Caster, would you like to join us?" Shirou offered with a smile. "There's another futon for whenever Fuji-nee stays over."

"As tempting as the offer is, there is a Bounded Field I need to resume working on," Caster said with a sly smile. "Plus, to be frank, I'm not as willing as Saber to share the night with you. I do have standards, Shirou."

Saber withheld her tongue. The words Caster had used insinuated something most insulting. As a Servant herself, she should perfectly understand their circumstances. Saber was not doing this to seduce their Master. All her words were true and Caster's underlined intent was questioning her honor.

"I'd thought I'd ask anyways," Shirou offered. "Can you turn off the lights on your way out? I'd appreciate it."

"Of course," Caster agreed. "Goodnight, Shirou. Goodnight, Saber."

"Goodnight, Caster," Shirou replied in a friendly voice.

"Goodnight," Saber returned neutrally.

Caster had a smirk as she walked towards the edge of the room, flicked the light switch off, and vanished into her spectral state.

Shirou yawned, lied down, and rummaged around until finding a comfortable position. "Goodnight, Saber. See you in the morning."

"Yes, goodnight, Shirou," Saber replied.

He took a deep breath, relaxed, and was instantly asleep. All expression on him washed away into tranquility as his breathing fell heavy with slumber. It was not a ruse like the prisoners of war or thieves pretended back in her time. Everything she could read about him told her he had fallen asleep the instant he desired for it.

She stared at his sleeping face. The only mark on him were the scars left by the moonlit woman the Tohsaka Master brought. She had seen him take the full strike of a Noble Phantasm that altered the terrain of the graveyard. He came back virtually unscathed saved for those same scratch marks from before.

Her connection to him was strong but ordinary. She could say she was receiving the same amount of prana as she would from her previous Master.

But Shirou claimed to not be a magus. Was he lying to her? Or was he not aware of his own abilities? No, impossible. He had been able to conjure a weapon that outranked Berserker's. He had been able to defeat Berserker effortlessly where it took the combined efforts of she and Caster.

Just who was this boy that had summoned her?

She stared up at the ceiling. Her mind could not find an answer. Her experience with the occult was limited. Perhaps if she had paid better attention to the machinations of that old magus she might be more knowledgeable in this field. But all of her experience only went so far as the sorcerers, necromancers, and her own sister who sought to destroy her and her comrades.

Nothing she faced in her previous life compared to what Shirou might be. Not the dark magi, not the Dead Apostle Ancestors, and not even the Dragons.

If anything… Shirou was closest to one of Gaia's Incarnations.

Impossible. Those were purely beasts. Shirou, while odd, was definitely human.

She would need a different approach if she was going to find answers.

She closed her eyes and forced her body and mind to relax. It wasn't anywhere near as instantaneous as Shirou's technique. But sleep found her soon enough.

…And she dreamed of a boy traversing through the fires of Hell.

0-0-0

Sakura walked through the open gates and immediately noticed something was off. There was a patch of land towards the wall, near the toolshed, that she could have sworn had been dead grass. The shed had always blocked that part from the sun and Shirou had struggled to keep the grass alive. For some reason, today, that patch was redone. Perhaps her sempai had laid out some turf in another attempt to keep the perfect balance with his yard.

She'll have to ask him about it later.

She continued to hum a tune as she walked up to the door, knock a few times out of habit, and used her key to enter.

"Good morning," she greeted to no one in particular, shut the door behind her, and began to change her shoes.

There was the sound of ruckus coming from Shirou's room. He was the only one who lived in the manor with the occasional guest staying over. She could have been wrong and assumed Taiga or Otoko had stayed over; the former probably drank too much but the latter hadn't stayed over since she and Shirou were in middle school and he was constantly in the hospital.

"Sempai?" she called out, put her bookbag down in the walkway, and began to head towards his room.

She heard his voice say something muffled by the walls and distance followed by the opening and closing of his closet and dresser.

Before she could approach his door and knock, Shirou had stumbled out of the room with his school uniform disheveled and him panting. He had a nervous smile on his face. He slammed the door shut before she could see what sort of mess he had made for himself.

"G-Good morning, Sakura," he greeted with an equally nervous laugh. He scratched the side of his head. "I didn't know you were coming. I thought you said your grandfather wanted you home for the rest of the week."

"Only in the evenings…" she responded while looking at him. Her eyes flickered to the door and back at him. "Sempai, is something the matter? It's still early so you didn't need to rush in getting dressed. Fujimura-sensei isn't here yet either."

"I just thought I overslept is all," he put a hand to his chest and let out a sigh of relief. "I thought you were Fuji-nee. She would have chewed me out if she found me sleeping in."

She laughed at that, "Better for me, then. It's Thursday anyways; I have archery practice in the morning. So I'm always here earlier than usual. You could have slept a little longer if you wanted. I wouldn't have minded."

She would have loved to wake him up. She would have loved to sneak into his room, watch him sleep for a bit, perhaps lay with him, and then carefully wake him when she was satisfied. She hadn't done that in a while.

"I'm up now," he grumbled to himself. "Why don't we get breakfast started then?"

"Last night was a full moon, wasn't it?" she asked.

"Yeah?" he looked at her, not knowing where this was going.

"So you have a lot of leftovers, don't you? You always make a lot of food on a full moon for that stray cat and always have leftovers for it. You tried giving her a bath again, didn't you? Your face is scratched. Breakfast is already made when all we need to do is warm it up. If you want, I can help you clean up a bit before Fujimura-sensei—"

She went to reach for the door handle and throw the screen back.

"That's okay, Sakura," he said quickly, putting his hands on her shoulder and pushing her away from the door. He smiled, sure, but she could see the strain under it. "It's just the futon and some laundry. I can take care of that. Why don't you start warming up the food so that way Fuji-nee doesn't complain when she does arrive? You know how she can be sometimes…"

She planted her feet on the ground. He nudged at her to get moving but she only looked up at him. Slowly, her eyes went back to the door.

"Sempai, what are you hiding from me?" she asked in a flat tone.

He hesitated in his answer. His complexion paled slightly.

"It might be a little messier than I like to admit," he said awkwardly, also failing to look at her in the eye. "I was working on a few projects last night and didn't bother putting things away. I don't want you to see."

"…Is that how it is?" she asked with her voice drifting off. "Okay then. Why don't you take care of it while I get breakfast ready then? Fujimura-sensei should be here any minute."

"I would appreciate it," he said with another smile. "Don't worry, I'll have everything sorted out by the time she gets here. It won't take too long."

"You should also fix your uniform, sempai," she told him before offering him a matching smile, turning around, and taking light steps towards the kitchen.

She kept moving at a leisurely pace until hearing the door open, Shirou's footsteps, and the door shutting again. She only stopped to look over her shoulder to see if he had tried to fool her. No, he hadn't. He had gone back into his room.

Now with hurried footsteps, she came back towards his door and threw it open before he had a chance to stop her.

She peered inside to see… nothing.

The room was spotless. There was no mess at all like he had claimed. All of his laundry was placed in the hamper, the futon folded neatly into a corner, and all his belongings put where they belonged. The only thing out of place was the one tatami mat uplifted with Shirou kneeling down with his safebox in his arms, ready to put it back where it belonged in his not-so-secret compartment.

"Ah… Sakura?" he blinked as he looked at her. "Is something wrong? Did you forget something?"

Her face flushed. How shameless of her. She could have sworn she had caught the scent of _another woman_ on him. His behavior had also enforced her suspicions. But there was no evidence.

Unless the woman was shoved into the cramped space no wider than a single tatami mat. But the woman in question would have to be _tiny._ Possibly the size of a child, really.

"I… wanted to ask where you put the spatula," she said, finding the first thing that came to mind. "I didn't see it."

"Ah… it was washed so it might still be in the sink," he answered after a moment of thought.

"That's right… it should be… thank you," she said quietly, stepped back, and shut the door.

Her face was burning with embarrassment as she headed back towards the kitchen. How could she have accused her sempai of something like that?! It's not like they were dating in the first place!

0-0-0

"…How are you doing, Saber?" Shirou asked with an apologetic smile.

"…I could be better," Saber said with as little aggression as possible.

It was a little hard for her to not be upset with him or Caster. Without warning, they had emptied the space under the mat and shoved her in here. It was cramped. True she was a petite woman with the ageless body of when she first picked up the sword, but she had to bend and fold her body and limbs in ways she didn't think was possible.

Caster wasn't physical at the moment… but Saber knew the Servant was laughing uncontrollably at the situation.

"I'm really sorry…" Shirou said and meant it wholeheartedly. "But I don't want Sakura to get dragged into this Holy Grail War. My life is pretty normal and I'd like to keep it that way as much as possible."

"Unpreparedness is the enemy, Shirou," she lectured. "As well as reluctance. I understand your desire for a safe and familiar lifestyle, but surprises await at every corner during times of war."

"There sure are a lot of enemies…" he muttered.

"Indeed," she replied sagely.

"This wouldn't be a problem if you could turn into a spirit like Caster," he sighed.

She flushed at that, "H-How was I supposed to know I would be summoned in an unorthodox manner? I still do not know how you summoned me in the first place."

He didn't answer right away. He listened for a moment.

"Caster says there was a magic circle in the workshop that had been there before," he answered. "It responded to me when I tried to defend my home from Lancer. The Grail did the rest of the work. Even she says it is a little odd. But I think you should talk to her about that. I can't understand half the things she's telling me right now."

Saber would have nodded if she could.

"I know it's rude, but can you please stay here in my room for a bit?" he asked with another apologetic look. "Sakura and Fuji-nee will both leave early. I'll make you both breakfast for it."

"…I hope you have no plans in keeping me here in particular," she stated in a flat voice.

She grew agitated when Shirou was actually considering whether he should or not.

"Shirou~ I'm hungry!" another voice from within the manor announced its presence.

"That's Fuji-nee," he stated. "Sorry but I got to go. Caster, can you help Saber get out of there? And can you do something so no one but me can enter my room? Thanks."

He stood up and quickly exited the room.

A moment later, Caster materialized and drew a charm on the doorframe. She took her time approaching Saber. When she did, she stood there for a moment, crouched down, and continued to stare at her in amusement. She even had a smirk.

"…Well?" Saber demanded.

"Only if you say please," Caster snickered.

"I was put in this place because of you!" Saber barked back with her face reddening.

"Not so loud or you'll get Shirou in trouble," Caster scolded. "I don't know about you but I want to live long enough for breakfast."

Saber's lips quivered. She fell silent.

"And don't go blaming me," Caster went on. "It's not my fault you can't dematerialize yourself. And you and I both know you shouldn't blame Shirou and his lack of thaumaturgy. Whether he suspects something or not, you can't fool someone summoned under the Caster class."

Now, Saber shot her a distrustful glare.

"There are things you and I must discuss, Caster," Saber said. "Things we could not go over the previous night. I would prefer if Shirou were present… but I feel there are some matters that need to be discussed in private."

"I'm listening…" Caster's voice rang.

Saber looked away for a moment. Her cheeks reddened.

"If you can assist me out of this hole," Saber tried to look and sound as dignified as possible. "I seem to be stuck… Please."

"Hmm… no," Caster said while feigning consideration.

With her magic, she lifted the tatami mat and placed it on top of Saber. It wasn't a perfect fit since Saber's shoulders and hips were in the way. But that wasn't the point. The Servant of the Sword, a great and mighty legendary hero who had achieve the pinnacle of human triumph, was _stuck._

Caster was honestly having too much fun. Besides, Shirou didn't exactly give her a time limit to answer his order.

0-0-0

"Shirou, you need to stop trying to give it a bath," Taiga went on once they were at the table enjoying breakfast. "Look at your face! This always happens whenever you try!"

"Fuji-nee, please finish your food before talking," Shirou said patiently. "And have you seen her? She's filthy. She's always covered in dirt and it gets everywhere when I let her in. So I have to give her a bath. Besides, I like to think it does her more good than anything."

"Why don't you adopt her?" Sakura asked from her seat. "You always put so much care into grooming her. She always keeps coming back to you."

"She's always welcome here whenever she wants," Shirou said before pausing to drink some of his soup. "I really think she's just too wild. Remember when she first started to show up? She doesn't beat me up as much as she used to. These scratches are more of an understanding between the two of us."

"Beat you up?" Taiga grossed. "Eh, I guess that's one way of looking at it. I remember when you broke your arm over it. How'd you do that, by the way? Trip over her or something?"

"Actually she grabbed it and just…" he made a gesture with his hands about breaking something in half. "At least she's more tame than Mercury-nee. That one just tries to eat me at any chance."

"I want to see her one day," Sakura yearned. "I always hear things about her but always miss her. Grandfather doesn't let me out of the house on full moons. He's very superstitious."

"You know…" Taiga leaned back and rubbed the bottom of her chin. "My old man is the exact same way. He always invites me over for dinner on a full moon. Huh. I never thought about it until now."

"That might be why she only shows up on a full moon," Shirou thought about it. "You know, animals are more sensitive to things like that than we are. She also only shows up when there's no one home. Sometimes she misses the full moon and sometimes she just shows up randomly."

"I should check out this book from the library," Sakura jumped in. "They have a catalogue of cats. Maybe if I show you, sempai, you can tell me what kind she is?"

"…Cat?" Shirou blinked at that.

"Eh, a cat?" Taiga shook her head. "Sakura-chan, don't you know? It's obviously a dog?"

"A dog?" Shirou blinked again.

"Dogs don't scratch, Fujimura-sensei," Sakura pointed out.

"Hmm. There is that. But her behavior sounds a lot more like a dog. Shirou, didn't you say she likes to roll around on the grass and dig up holes?"

"But dogs don't react as violently towards baths."

"Yeah but they _do_ leave bite marks over the bokken from the dojo."

"Huh," Shirou spoke up. "I… never noticed the similarities. She _does_ take after both of them. But there's a problem."

They both looked at him.

"Dogs bark. Cats meow. The only sound I've ever heard out of her was—"

"Ahhhhhhh~"

"That," Shirou finished, sticking his thumb over his shoulder towards the source behind him.

All heads turned towards the source.

The only sound being heard was the clatter of chopsticks falling out of Sakura's hand… and the wind blowing through Taiga's gaping mouth.

A woman, tall, elegant, beautiful, and mature walked into the dining area. Her hair and eyes were as silver as moonlight with the tanned skin of someone who thrived in the sun. Those eyes were only locked on Shirou as she approached him, knelt down, and tugged on his sleeve.

"Huh," he said and paused.

"Ahhhhhhh," the woman repeated, tugging on his sleeve once again.

"Sorry, sorry," he said with a smile. "I didn't expect you to be here. He didn't tell me. Hold on; I'll get you something. Ah… here. You can have this for now."

He handed her his plate of untouched food. He had started on the soup and salad while saving the main dish for last.

The woman's eyes lit up. She sat with her legs crossed, took the plate with both hands, and almost began to dig in with her face first.

She paused, her eyes flickering up towards Shirou with a look of unpleasantness. Shirou was watching her carefully. She frowned, readjusted her grip, and began to scoop the food with her fingers. Shirou relaxed and let her eat.

She put the first bundle of food in her mouth, chewed, and grew sour for it. She placed the plate down and glared at Shirou.

"There's nothing wrong with it," he growled, insulted for his own cooking being rejected.

She glared harder at him.

"It's still my cooking!" he argued. "The only difference is that Sakura warmed it up. How can you even tell the difference on who—"

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!" Taiga slammed her hands onto the table and roared out.

"S-S-S-Sempai…" Sakura was shaking with tears ready to fall out. "W-Who is this woman? And why is she in… Sempai, is that my dress?"

The woman in question was wearing a plum and white dress that Sakura could have sworn she had lost not too long ago. And now she knew what happened to it.

Shirou looked at the two of them with a confused expression. "Her? She's the stray I've been talking about."

His answer had forced the two to blink.

"Ahhhhhh," repeated the woman, never looking away from him.

"Eat it," he told her. "It's fine."

Her eyes narrowed. Without looking away, she put one hand on the edge of the plate.

"Don't you dare," he told her in a flat voice.

She nudged the plate over a little bit.

"Don't," he said in a final warning.

…And she knocked it off the edge of the table.

In the next instance, the morning newspaper was in his hand and had been swung with enough speed to surpass anything Taiga could throw. It smacked the woman on the top of her head.

She put her hands on the spot as though it would leave a welt. Her eyes were glaring at Shirou in both anger and betrayal. They were beginning to water up.

"I told you not to do it!" he scolded, sighed, put the newspaper down, and stood up. He grumbled something incoherent as he went to the kitchen to fetch the broom.

"Shirou…" Taiga growled with her fists shaking and teeth clenching. The Tiger of Fuyuki roared out, "WHO THE HELL IS THIS WOMAN AND WHY IS SHE HERE?!"

"I told you," Shirou retorted as he came back. His face was full of annoyance at having to clean up the mess as well as having to repeat himself. "She's the stray that keeps coming back for food. I'm just as surprised as you are she's still here. She's usually gone before the sun's up."

He went to work scraping up the spilt food.

"But why is she in my dress?!" Sakura cried out.

Shirou stared at her for a moment. "Because… I can't have her naked? It's just indecent."

Sakura froze. Her face went blank for a moment. Quickly, the color began to wash away from her face. She realized what that statement implied.

"Wait a minute," Taiga put up a hand. She had to close her eyes while her brow twitched furiously. "Wait. A. Minute. Y-You're serious. She's the _stray dog_ you kept talking about? _For years_? The one you mentioned would harm you for giving her a bath?"

The woman's eyes sharpened and her body tensed. Something dangerous crossed her face at the mere mention of the word 'bath'. She had a look as though she was ready to throw down with Taiga.

"…You thought she was a dog this whole time?" Shirou asked instead.

"Dog, cat, I DON'T CARE AT THIS POINT!" Taiga screamed. "She's not some animal like you've been making her out to be all these years!"

"…But she is an animal," Shirou said slowly as though trying to correct Taiga about a simple mistake.

"In what regard is she an animal?!" Taiga was ready to strangle him.

Shirou finished up, leaned against the broom, and thought for a moment. "Well, she loves to do everything outdoors. She's pretty dirty. She's very rough. She loves to scratch and sometimes bites me. Keeping her in clothes is next to impossible. The only way I get her to do anything I want is if I promise her food. And then she'll go wander off somewhere for the next month. Sometimes even longer."

Taiga was speechless.

Sakura was petrified.

Shirou was oblivious to what he had just said and went back to the kitchen to toss out the food and set himself a new plate.

"Ahhhhhh," called out the woman.

"No," he said from behind the counter. He gave her a stern look. "Now you have to wait. I told you not to do it and you did. You'll get more after."

The woman glared at him, then quickly looked away and sulked in her seat. She crossed her arms and puffed her cheeks like a child.

"Shirou…" Taiga struggled to remain in her seat rather than beating some sense into him. "I can't tell if you're just pulling a prank… or just mental. You! Who are you and how do you know Shirou!"

The woman she demanded answers out of glimpsed once at Taiga. It only lasted half a second as she went back to being angry at Shirou.

"She can't talk, Fuji-nee," Shirou stated as he went back to the table. He had two plates of food with him this time.

The woman noticed, went to reach for the second plate, and was swatted away by the same newspaper. She glared at him again before going back to sulking.

"What do you mean she can't talk?" Taiga demanded.

"…She can't talk," he answered slowly but plainly this time. "I tried teaching her once. She understands phrases and terms. But it's more like a Pavlov's Dog scenario. She can recognize things but can't speak like how we do."

"…Do you know who this lady is?" Sakura asked in such a quiet and defeated voice it was almost missed. The light in her eyes had gone out.

Both the woman and Shirou exchanged a look.

"Kinda, but not really?" Shirou offered.

"Just what is that supposed to mean?" Taiga asked.

"Well, I've known her for so long I know a lot about her," Shirou said while thinking about it. "Her identity to me is this stray that comes along every now and then. I never needed to learn anything else about her."

"Never needed?!" Taiga gasped. "Shirou, she could be a missing person for all we know! Her family could be looking for her! She could be a wanted criminal! Or worse!"

"I promise you she's none of those things," Shirou waved it off with a smile. "I've already looked into it. There aren't any records of her."

"That's the worse I'm talking about! A person without a record is worse! How did she get around without being noticed?! She might not even be from this country! Look at her! She looks foreign! No wonder she doesn't speak Japanese!"

"Fuji-nee," Shirou sighed, "you don't need to go that far. She's fine. She's been here long enough to be considered family."

"Fine? Fine?!" Taiga leaned forward and pointed at Shirou. "Look at your face! This always happens when she shows up! She scratches you! Shirou, did this lady cause all your previous injuries?! All the reasons you were forced into the hospital! And… the bath…

"Shirou, are you _involved_ with this woman?"

Sakura squeaked. Her hand covered her mouth as she stared at Shirou.

He and the woman exchanged another look. He grimaced while she tilted her head in curiosity. Her eyes flicked once towards the food.

"I'm afraid to find out what she will do to me if I try anything," he said after facing Taiga. "It's nothing like that, Fuji-nee. I just take care of her every now and then. That's all."

"Sempai…" Sakura spoke up. "Was… Was this the secret you were hiding from me this morning?"

"Oh, no, that was—" he was about to answer when he forced himself to be quiet. "I-I mean… yes! Just her! I wanted to avoid this kind of conversation."

"…A couple minutes ago you were surprised she was still here," Taiga pointed out. "What else are you hiding from us?"

"Nothing!" he blurted out.

Her eyes narrowed.

He frowned lightly and sighed in defeat, "Nothing as big as this, I promise. Let's… um… j-just call it… guy stuff…"

His face reddened as he could only stare at the table.

A part of Sakura was relieved. If not only a little bit. It might explain his behavior this morning… but it could not excuse having another woman besides her.

She thought she smelled something!

"…I don't have time for this…" Taiga grumbled. Her face was red with fury as she was glaring daggers at Shirou. "I have to get to work. I'm not okay with this, Shirou. Not one bit. We're not done talking about this. We're going to finish this discussion later tonight."

"I work tonight," he replied.

"Then call in sick!" she demanded. "I'll call Otoko if I have to! And don't try to get out of this by taking up other jobs from Issei! I want you to come straight home as soon as school is over, do you understand me?"

"…Yes, Fuji-nee," Shirou grumbled.

"And, you're grounded!" she finished.

"Grounded?" he blinked at that.

"Grounded!"

"…You've never grounded me before," Shirou stated.

"That's because I've never had to! You've done some pretty stupid stuff when you were younger. But you learned. I thought after high school all of the stupid was finally out of you. But now do I realize you're twice as stupid as you were before!"

"Okay…" Shirou nodded once. "Then what does this mean?"

"Lights out by nine," she began.

"Okay," Shirou nodded again.

"No staying late after school! You're to come straight home!"

"…Okay," with a little more reluctance.

"No cleaning the house."

"Eh?"

"No gardening."

"Eh?!"

"And no cooking."

"EHHHHHH?!" All color from Shirou's face washed away in an instant.

He wasn't the only one. The woman became petrified. She understood that much.

"B-But those things are vital!" Shirou tried to argue. "I can't just ignore those things! Dad left me this place and I need to take care of it! A-And… cooking…"

"Sakura-chan and I can take care of those things," Taiga wagged a finger at him. "And, if needed, some of Tou-san's men can step in. Or Otoko. She often tells me how much she misses taking care of you when you were younger. And if no one's available, then you can survive off on take-out."

"F-Fuji-nee…" Shirou deflated.

"Nope!" Taiga didn't budge. "My word is law! Those are just the things to start with. The rest we will discuss later tonight. Come on, Sakura-chan. I'll give you a lift. We can leave this idiot for now. Enjoy the cleanup, Shirou. It'll be your last for a while. Savor it."

"Fujimura-sensei?" Sakura gestured towards the woman. "What about her?"

The woman's eyes sharpened for a moment. She immediately lost interest in Sakura and went back to staring at her cooling plate before Shirou.

"…I don't like her being here but…" Taiga sighed with displeasure. "Shirou, make sure she doesn't leave the house. I don't know how but keep her here. I need to figure out what to do with her. She can't stay here but I don't want her wandering around on her own either."

"Yes, Fuji-nee," Shirou sighed. Finally, he let her have the plate of food.

The woman's eyes lit up. She took the plate and began to gorge down, scooping in pieces of meat and rice with her fingertips.

Taiga watched her for a moment. She stood up, gathered her things, and headed out of the door.

Sakura followed soon after. She glimpsed once towards Shirou, then to the other woman, and back to Shirou.

She hadn't looked at him like this since the first time they met. Since the time she thought all life was hopeless and there was nothing outside of her grandfather's cellar. The life in her eyes vanished now that she saw her beloved sempai, whom she had given her heart for, was involved with another woman. She was nothing more than a toy to him, she realized.

She left the house without a word.

0-0-0

"You know…" Caster appeared and took a seat at the table. She had her cloak on but the hood was off. "I could have hypnotized them and erased their memories. That Sakura girl wouldn't be so heartbroken if I had done that."

"I considered it," Shirou admitted. "But I was told it was better this way. Both good and bad, really. Good because it will lead me to finding the larger threat of this war. Bad because it might put people's lives in danger. But I can't find it unless the threat makes itself present. Even worse, the threat is somehow connected to one of them. He wouldn't tell me which one or how…"

The mystery woman was observing him while she ate.

"I don't believe they are connected to the war," Caster stated her opinion. "I didn't sense they were Masters. Perhaps, if anything, that Sakura girl. The Tohsaka Master did admit she was a part of one of the founding families of the war."

"Zouken and I have an understanding," he stated in a flat voice.

Caster wanted to ask about it… but his voice warned her it wasn't a good idea to pry into it.

"Are you sure it is wise to toy with the heart of a maiden, Shirou?" Saber asked as she entered the kitchen. She was out of the nightwear Shirou gave her and back into her blue and white battle gown.

"If it means I'm one step closer to saving this city and millions of lives, then yes," Shirou stated simply.

Saber nodded with complete understanding. Sometimes it is necessary to perform evil. So long as he did not replace it as an act of good.

"But this girl is completely infatuated with you," Caster looked at him with disappointment. "Doesn't that mean anything to you? You're betraying her trust if you carry this out."

"Caster, you should stop," Shirou said.

"Stop what?" she demanded in a cross voice.

"You figured it out not too long after we met," he went on. "Don't think I didn't notice the pattern of your teasing and choice of words. I'm extremely observant of people for a reason. You know why. You know that I know. Don't pretend otherwise."

Caster said nothing. She leaned against the table while cupping her hands together.

"Should I be aware of this as well?" Saber asked.

"…It's fair," Shirou said after a moment. "In regards to our conversation yesterday, Saber, I'm not exactly a normal human being. My shishou would say we were more human than anyone else but, really, I'm probably closer to one of Gaia's Effigies."

She quirked a brow at that.

"I can't sympathize with people," he went on. "But I can understand them. I know how they think. I've studied them for a long time. I've learned their habits, their signatures, their emotions and reactions, and gestures. I can emulate them. I can be as human as the next person and no one will notice. But at the end of the day…?

"I have a heart of glass."

"…Nothing?" Caster spoke up. "You honestly feel nothing for anyone else? Not for the girl who is hopelessly in love with you? I had thought you were reclusive at the least. Perhaps a little antisocial. But completely apathetic?"

She was upset. The whole situation poked at a tender wound that had never finished healing.

"More like I can't," he said flatly. He didn't try to smile or shift the tone of his voice. He spoke with complete detachment. "I can only assume it's why I can get along with her so well."

He gestured at the woman at his side.

She looked at him for a moment… and went back to eating.

"Think about it," he shrugged, falling back into a more human façade with facial expressions and hand gestures. "Everything requires communication. Cells, plants, animals, and humans. There are just different types of communication. Yet those of the same type all try to converse with the other somehow in some way.

"She might look human. But she's exactly like me. The only difference is she's too engrossed with her side of things to understand humanity like I do. Yet… I just like being near her. And so does she. She's the only thing on this planet I can sympathize with."

"Shirou," Saber spoke up. "The Grail chooses seven Masters because it finds them worthy."

Shirou looked at her.

Her eyes hardened, "It didn't choose you for your power or your… pedigree. It chose you because you have something to desire. Something only the Grail can grant."

"I'm not interested in the Grail," he said straightforward. "I'm only participating to make sure someone doesn't abuse it."

"Then you mean to say you will be the one to choose who will win the Holy Grail War," she carried on the idea.

"More like I'll get rid of those who will use it to harm innocent people. So far I haven't seen any problems from anyone. But there are a few Masters I'm not aware of."

"My point," Saber spoke sharply. "All of these Masters desire something from the Grail. They all have something to strive for, something to compete against their betters, something they are willing to sacrifice and call upon us Heroic Spirits to aid them. You are no exception. It wouldn't have chosen you if you had nothing to wish for."

He was silent and still as he watched her.

"What wish do you have for the Grail?" she asked next.

"I'll tell you if you tell me yours, Saber," he retorted quickly, twice as sharp as her tongue.

They stared at another for a long moment.

"My wish…" Saber's eyes narrowed slightly but she never looked away. "Is to redo a choice I had mistakenly made. I wish to offer the position to someone more worthy."

He kept looking at her, observing her through his analytical eyes. At the same time, he was trying to listen for something. Something in the background he paid half a mind to while he tried to search her for something.

"Saber, you should rethink that," he said eventually.

Cold fury surged through her.

"What," she demanded with steel in her voice.

"You want to use the Grail to change something in your past?" though it came out as a question, it was more of a statement. "You want to alter the course of history? Something like that won't just change who among your circle will live and die. The lives of your enemies, their enemies, and their comrades will also be affected. Your single choice would create a ripple effect. Entire generations of people who are alive today might not exist after your wish.

"If you continue to pursue the Grail for this, I will be forced to put you down. Don't make me do this."

"…You don't know what you're saying," Saber spoke in a low voice. "You were not there, Shirou. You don't know what atrocities my choice had made. Everything is lost because—"

"I know, _Arturia,_ " Shirou snapped.

Her eyes widened. The blood washed away from her face.

He knew her name. It was never recorded. It was never shared with him. Her legend was warped. There should have been no possibility he knew who she was.

Caster shifted in her seat. She gave nothing away to share she understood the name or not.

"I know better than you do what redoing the selection process will do," Shirou went on. "Your kingdom won't be the only thing affected. Even the modern age and the future will be altered. Countless lives will cease to exist and new ones will arise. Humanity will be off balance. Even worse… some of my predecessors wouldn't exist. Like Lulu-ji… which means…"

He glanced at the mystery woman. She gave him an almost human expression, indicating she knew what he was implying but wasn't going to acknowledge his words.

"That's hardly fair, Shirou," Caster said. "You shouldn't be criticizing Saber's wish when you haven't told us your own."

"It's not criticizing," he argued. "I'm pointing out the consequences of her choice."

"Still sounds like critique to me," Caster continued. She also knew he had tried to deviate the topic. "What is your wish? Knowing you and your talk about protecting the peace, I wouldn't be surprised if you secretly wished for world peace."

"…No," he said with his brows furrowing. He almost looked upset. "My old man told me world peace is a mistake and I believe him. Besides, _if_ the world was at peace, meaning she and I could get along completely, I'd be out of a job. And humanity wouldn't be able to stand up against forces like the Types. A complete utopia like in dreams means the human race stagnates."

"You would also kill the Master seeking world peace?" Saber asked incredulously. "You would kill a Master seeking destruction as well as one seeking peace. What then would you allow?"

"I like Tohsaka's wish," he raised a finger.

"You mean to keep it as a trophy?" Caster asked bluntly. "That's not a wish at all, Shirou."

"It also won't kill people," he nodded with satisfaction. "Things like that are okay."

"Can you give us an example?" she tried next with a slightly irritated tone. "Such as, for example, what _you_ would wish for?"

"You're pretty persistent about this."

She only gave him a flat stare.

"I have no intention in claiming the Grail for myself," he began. "If there's someone with a better wish than mine, I'll gladly give it to them. But… if I were to have to ask for something, I suppose it would be… to be able to sympathize with people."

He shrugged, more emulating the habit than showing expression. After that, he passed on his cold plate of food over to the mystery woman.

She accepted it graciously and went for round two.

"Then does this mean you have no intentions in supporting us as our Master?" Saber demanded.

"No, I'll support you as long as I have to," he corrected. "Caster's wish might cause a few ripples but I'm told it's not as bad as yours. I'll be your Master a little longer, Saber. But if you want that wish… I will stop you before we finish. Be in mind I still have two other Masters to interview; the Master of Rider and the Master of Assassin. After that, we can figure out where to go from there."

"So then, this is our agenda for the war?" Caster mused with dry humor. "We carry our duties as Servants as if they actually matter to the grand scheme of things? Meanwhile you continue to search for this impending threat you're so certain will appear."

"That sounds about right," he nodded. "Anything else?"

Both Servants were quiet.

"Alright then," Shirou fell back into his human façade as he patted his knee and stood up. He began to gather things from the table. "I better hurry and clean this up. I have to be in school in a bit. Oh, but before that…"

He piled everything he could into one arm, put a hand on his waist, and looked down at the woman still eating.

She finished and handed him his plate. She looked up at him with eyes full of expectancy.

"What am I going to do with you…?" he asked himself. "Fuji-nee is going to be mad if you go missing and will blame me. I'll be in even more trouble than I already am. Do you think you can stay here today?"

She gave him a sour look.

"You can lay around in the yard," he gestured towards the main hallway. "You like that, don't you? It's just for one day."

Her eyes narrowed.

"…Okay, it might be more than a day," he admitted. "Just long enough for her to calm down. Then you can run off like you always do and I can make up some excuse for myself. Please?"

She just stared at him.

"I'm going to assume that's a yes," he stated and went to the kitchen.

A moment later he came back with three plates of food. One for the woman and two for his Servants.

"Caster, I'm going to need you for later today," he said while going back to the kitchen to finish the cleaning. "There's something going on at my school and I'm going to need your help. Do you remember where my school is?"

"I do but if it's so important shouldn't I go with you right now?" Caster asked as she began to eat.

He crossed his arms and thought about it, "I won't be able to direct you where you need to go. Plus I'm going to be busy with lessons to escort you around campus. It'll be better if you arrive after school."

"Will you need me to arrive as well?" Saber asked.

"I would like the help but… I don't have a spare change of clothes for you. And you can't turn invisible like Caster from what you've told me. People will get suspicious if they see you walking around like that. So it might be better if you stay here."

"And what exactly will I be doing?" Caster asked.

"People are going to die," he stated while he worked at the sink. "There's something around the school and if I don't find the source then the students and faculty will be in danger. I can deal with it myself but… my percent of success is a lot higher if you tag along. I'm guessing it's something magic related. It'd also be decent if I asked for Tohsaka-san's help."

"And seeing as her Archer nearly killed us last night, I don't think she's willing to oblige," Caster mused. "Very well then. I will arrive as soon as school is let out. It might be the workings of another Servant if you require my assistance."

"I would appreciate it," Shirou said, walking out of the kitchen while drying his hands with a towel. He sighed while folding it and placing it on the countertop. His eyes looked at the kitchen with longing. "I guess this is it then. I'll need to find another source to gather people. Maybe I should buy a game system and invite friends over? But then I can't offer them any snacks… This is harder than I thought…"

They watched him cross over the room to reach for his book bag.

"Just put everything in the sink when you're done," he told them. "Take care of the house while I'm gone. Oh… and please don't let her scratch up the mats. If you can, anyways."

He offered them a smile, a wave, and headed out of the room.

The two Servants regarded the woman. She had finished her plate and was looking at theirs with a sharp glint of hunger.

Saber pulled her plate closer to herself. Caster debated whether it was worth it or not to fight over a mediocre dish.

She eventually decided to hand it over. Besides, it wasn't really Shirou's cooking. He had taken the recipe from a local grocer rather than apply his unique kitchen magic to it. The woman didn't notice the difference and just gorged down.

"Now then…" Caster pondered while looking around the room. "I don't suppose either of you are willing to gossip over anything?"

Saber gave her a strange look. The woman regarded her for a moment before going back to her food.

"How drawl," Caster sighed, used her magic to summon the television remote, and turned it to a morning talk show.


	8. Chapter 5

**A note from the author!**

HA ha ha ha haHAAAAAA HA HA HA HA HA ha ha ha ha ha ha ha haaaaaaaaaaaa!

*ahem*

Please ignore that.

I'm somewhat disappointed no one noticed the Easter Egg last chapter. It had something to do with the title. Oh well. I put a lot of effort into it. Getting that anagram to fit with the theme of the chapter was decently challenging.

Anyways, here's a new chapter. See you all in another six months.

* * *

 **Chapter Five**

 **Rin's Day**

"It's been a while since we've spoken like this," Ayako opened up with as she spun around to greet one of her closest friends.

Rin shut the door to the roof behind her as she strolled inward. It was a good half-hour before classes would start. There hadn't been any words exchanged when the two saw each other earlier in the quad. Rin had just crossed through the gates while Ayako was leaving the archery dojo. Their eyes met and a silent agreement was made; they were to meet up on the roof.

"A lot's been happening lately on my end," Rin nodded as she approached. She offered a Tohsaka-worthy apologetic smile and a friendly wave of her hand. "Sorry I haven't been able to catch up. How have you been?"

Ayako studied her friend for a brief moment. She crossed her arms while maintaining a concerned expression, "Everything alright, Rin? You don't seem like yourself."

"How do you mean?" Rin asked with genuine curiosity. If Ayako could read through her then who knows what else she let slip.

"You're asking about me instead of talking about yourself."

"I'm not that selfish of a person!" she argued with a slight flush.

Ayako gave her a flat look. She tried to hold it but she couldn't. She let it collapse as she fell into a fit of giggles. "Sorry, sorry. It might just be me. You've been so busy lately, you're right, we haven't been able to catch up."

Rin shared a few giggles as she walked up to Ayako. The two of them stood close to the chain fence at the edge. They could see the other students starting to arrive through the gates down below.

Truthfully, Rin was using this as an excuse to scout the area in the daytime. There was another Master attending school either as a student or a member of the faculty staff. The Bounded Field she had discovered had been tampered with. It meant sometime yesterday the assailant had done work right under her nose.

She had yet to find the culprit. She needed to before the Bounded Field was finished and its magic was unleashed onto the innocents down below.

There were three possibilities. The first was Matou Shinji.

…She immediately tossed him out of the metaphorical window. For one, the Matou line has been so diluted they could no longer produce magi. She checked; Shinji had no magic circuits whatsoever.

Second, Shinji was too stupid to try anything like this.

The other possibility was Emiya Shirou. The school's Fake Janitor had an excuse to get around school whenever he wanted. His reputation was built on going around helping others no matter how arduous the task. Combined with the fact he had a _Caster_ as a Servant made her suspicions of him that more solid.

He was also just as fake as she was. She remembered what he was like when they first met all those years ago.

The last of the possibilities was… unnerving. It was possible neither Shirou nor Shinji were responsible for this. There could be another Master besides them.

…Could Sakura be a part of this?

Rin didn't want to know.

"I've just been dealing with a bit of stress at home," Rin replied to her friend. "I got a member of family from out of the country to visit. I was busy getting the house ready for him."

Ayako blinked, "Family? But don't you live alone? Are you sure it's safe for someone you hardly know to be living with you so suddenly?"

"It's fine," Rin waved it off. "He knows better than to try anything. We've had this discussion before."

…At the cost of a Command Seal.

"Besides," she continued with a shrug and a chipper smile, "he makes himself useful. I have him making me meals and doing all the chores while all I need to worry about is school."

"You're terrible," Ayako laughed lightly. "Still, if you need a place to run to…"

"Thanks," Rin glanced at her with a small smile, "but I'm fine. He won't be staying for long."

They were quiet while they were watching the students flood in.

Rin's brow twitched.

She spotted a patch of rust-colored hair. As though sensing her eyes, Emiya Shirou glanced up at the roof. Gold met sapphire. He offered a smile and a wave.

"…That idiot," she growled beneath her breath.

Why was he here? Did he not understand _anything_ that happened last night? Or did he think he was invincible because he warded off Berserker with his two Servants? She had made her intentions as clear as could be with him. Yes, there had been a few fumbling when he had tried to ask her about the rules of engagement _in the middle of a death battle._ Still.

The Command Seals on her hand weren't reacting. It meant Shirou had come alone.

He wasn't arrogant. He was stupid.

Did he really think just because he was in school was he safe from the war?

"Hoh…?" Ayako breathed out as her eyes caught what Rin was staring at. "I didn't think you would remember Shirou-kun. Or have you been seeing him behind my back this entire time?"

She decided to ignore Shirou in favor of her friend, "Where do you get that from this?"

"That's a pretty strong reaction as soon as you saw him," Ayako chided. "Whenever Shinji asks you out, you put up this smile but breathe fire. Here you're just breathing fire. What did he do this time?"

This time?

"Emiya-kun and I had the misfortune of running into each other last night," Rin surmised… poorly and vaguely. But she had to give Ayako something or she'll never let it go. "Suffice to say… it wasn't a very pleasant evening."

Ayako nodded while coming to her own conclusion, "I see, I see. Maybe you should clear something up with Sakura then."

"Sakura?" Rin blinked. "You mean Matou-san? Why do you say that?"

"You know how close those two are," Ayako sighed while watching Shirou continue his pace. "Sakura was really out of it this morning. Anyone can tell its heartache. She wouldn't tell us what's wrong but it's obviously Shirou-kun's fault."

"…I don't think whatever's happening between them has anything to do with me," Rin said through a forced smile. She _really_ didn't want to get between a teenage lover's spat. Besides, she was legally obliged through contract to not form any sort of connection with Sakura.

"Then you're really not dating Shirou-kun?"

"I am not!"

Ayako curled her fingers beneath her chin as she thought to herself. Rin didn't want to disturb anything else make any conclusions worse than they were going to be.

"Taiga also seemed pretty upset…" Ayako commented.

"Fujimura-sensei?" Rin inquired.

Ayako nodded a few times, "Oh yeah. She was grumbling when I passed by her earlier. I'm not sure if you remember, but she's Shirou-kun's legal guardian. Shirou-kun must have messed up pretty badly if both Sakura and Taiga are acting like this. I wonder what he did…"

Rin had actually forgotten about that detail regarding the Tiger of Fuyuki. If she had figured it sooner, she could have made a better connection between her and the nameless goddess. After all, the phantasmal woman was wearing Fujimura's dress. Shirou could have gotten easy access to it and force the goddess to put it on.

That boy was more trouble than he was worth. She would have been better off believing he was some harmless vanilla human.

"You're surprisingly distanced from this," Rin commented. "You always talk about wanting to find a boyfriend. I thought you liked Emiya-kun. I remember when you introduced me to him."

Ayako had a somewhat bitter smile. "Maybe I did. I can't really say. My life revolved around him at the time because he saved me from a bunch of creeps. But now? We share a couple of greetings every now and then and argue about trying to get him back into archery. I think I can take a hint. He doesn't seem interested in me that way."

"Better for you to realize now than to hold on," Rin said sagely.

"Yeah, no kidding," Ayako snickered. "I'm not like one of Shinji's girls. I mean, have you seen the way they flaunt over him?"

"Have you seen the way he treats them?" Rin countered.

"I know!"

They both laughed. They shouldn't. It really was terrible. But, to Rin, she couldn't help but mock the idiocy and brainlessness of those girls. Shinji was good-looking, sure, but his charm was entirely fake. They both knew he was a really awful person. Too bad his followers couldn't see it.

"I better get going," Ayako said suddenly. "It's been fun but I still need to finish my calculus before Kuzuki-sensei shows up!"

"No worries," Rin shook her head. "It was good talking to you again. I'm going to linger here and avoid the crowds for a bit."

"The problems of being the most popular girl in school," Ayako sighed with heavy sarcasm. She smiled warmly at her friend, gave a departing wave, and left for the door.

Rin waited until she was gone to leave the fence. She had work to do. Now that no one was present, she started to search for the sigil that anchored this Bounded Field. She would only have a few minutes before classes would drag her away.

Not even the threatening death of an entire academy could throw her off of her perfect attendance record.

0-0-0

His Master was a most unfair creature. A tyrant, truly. While she was away pretending to be a teenage idol in school, she had left a grotesquely long list of tasks for him to accomplish. She was grossly abusing the term _Servant_.

Imagine Archer's surprise when she pulled out a dictionary and read to him the definition. She didn't believe him watching the fort was good enough. No. She had to put him to work as though he needed to pay a rent for services he didn't use.

Really, she was abusing her Command Seal as much as possible. She was going to squeeze out every last drop of the magic binding him to her whims. It wasn't his fault she lived in a mansion all by herself and had failed to maintain all of its structure even with magic.

But the challenge was accepted.

The best part was… he didn't have to lift a finger.

He tossed off his cloak— it being caught and neatly folded. He sat down on the couch and kicked up his feet onto the coffee table. A cup of tea was handed to him. It was brewed exactly how he would have made it.

Getting a part of his memories back was a godsend. He'd have been doing everything on the list by hand if he didn't remember how to use these abilities.

His specialty was swords. And swords he made. It was swords which did the work for him.

He may have… tweaked a few of them.

Some were vacuuming. Some were dusting. Some were washing. The rest, stationed elsewhere such as the other floors and outside, were repairing any damages wrought onto the household due to old age and negligence.

Hardly any of them resembled swords at this point but swords they still were. They may have been modified to the point of no longer being recognizable but their origins remained. So twisted and altered and eschewed from their legend might they be called something new entirely.

The one massaging his shoulders may or may not resemble his current Master a little too much.

Let his damn shishou call him a Faker this time.

"Someone's coming," said the one just… staring out the window. It was supposed to be cleaning the window but it was instead staring out. Not all of his creations could be perfect or work as intended.

He had sensed it as soon as the intruders crossed over Rin's Bounded Field. There were only two of them. But he sensed one of them had been a Servant.

By the time he had planted his feet onto the ground were his constructs altered further. They now resembled cleaning appliances as was their purpose in existence.

…Though he had no idea why one of them had turned into a toaster.

Donning his cloak once more, he stepped into the front foyer, crossed through the hallway, and stepped out of the front door.

He was ready to fight. Instead, he was met by a sight that made his brows fall into a flat line.

"A-Archer!" a flustered Saber greeted him.

His eyes flicked over to her attire. While she wasn't wearing her extravagant battle gown, she was dressed in boyish clothes such as a T-shirt and washed-out jeans. He could only assume it was some of her Master's old clothes based on the size and wear.

"I did not mean to invade you and your Master's territory," Saber spoke sharply. "It was not my intention to come here! I was only—"

"Ahhhhhhhhh," said the earthbound creature tugging at his sleeve.

Archer gave her a flat look. He had thought— hoped, actually— that she would leave him alone. He shouldn't be surprised all of reality would treat him this poorly. If anything, he should have expected reality to go out of its way to enjoy what peace he could get away from his Master.

"I could not deter her from her path…" Saber muttered with slight embarrassment. "My Master tasked me with keeping her in his abode. But… nothing I could do could quell her."

He looked around. He only sensed two presences enter the territory. But if Saber was here…

"Where's Caster?" he asked.

Saber's face fell into a blank expression.

0-0-0

"Are you kidding me?!" Medea, Servant of the Spell, yelled at the television with a mouthful of shrimp chips. "Takashi-kun, you oaf! Can't you see that Ayame-sempai is in love with you! Go after her you before it's too late!"

0-0-0

"She's occupied with something back in my Master's dwelling," Saber said with a voice lacking any emotion.

With someone like Caster, he assumed she was either finishing setting up protections or working some diabolical project to make his involvement in the war hell. But… with the way Saber responded, he couldn't assume anything.

"I have no obligation to treat you as a welcomed guest," he said curtly. "You do realize I am another Servant after the same prize, right?"

"I understand," she replied, falling back onto her regal personality. "I give you my word I did not come here to pursue that goal. But it is cause for concern should I have let this woman wander on her own. I could have waited outside your territory— and perhaps I should have— but I did not want you to believe I was doing anything untoward."

How noble. He almost snickered at the folly of _chivalry._ He understood the principles of it but found them to be horrendously inefficient. Chivalry often got idiots killed in order to uphold empty words. By him, most of the time. Chivalry didn't protect people from getting six inches of steel through the chest.

He glanced at the creature with moonlight eyes. She was staring at him with a blank expression, completely void of human emotion despite her outward appearance. Her eyes were forever locked on his without the smallest twitch or blink. She was like a cat, glaring at him with imperial expectancy.

"You expect me to believe that if I lower my guard you won't stab me in the back?" Archer mused with a snarky tone.

Saber's brows furrowed the smallest of margins. He hit a sore spot. "On my honor as a knight, Archer. When we fight, it shall be in an honorable duel."

"Honor, huh," he tasted the word and found it to be a bitter wine. "You would say something like that to the one who kill you while you were distracted by Berserker?"

Saber paused for a moment. Not because she was caught flatfooted. Far from it. He could see her eyes flash with the memory and he watched her mind search for an appropriate response. He knew what she was going to say before she did.

"I have no right to judge your method of battle," she began in a steady voice. "We are all Heroes of various legends and tactics. This is the path I've sworn myself by and to throw it away would be to throw away my life."

He stared at her, searching her expression. She didn't say anything further. She didn't react. But that didn't mean she didn't give anything away.

Sometimes, the act of doing nothing is a telling of itself.

"Wait right here," he said while pulling his arm free. The creature never let go until he forced her off. He eyed her and her attire. "I just mopped the floor. It would be bothersome to have to do it again."

Though the moonlit creature had been bathed, she had accumulated a new layer of dirt since last night. She either slept underground again or rolled around in Saber's Master's flowerbed.

He stepped back into his Master's manor, all without turning his back on Saber and the creature. The creature could kill him in a heartbeat, no doubt faster if she wanted to. Trusting her meant nothing. But it was the Saber he was still wary about.

He shut the door and finally turned.

He glared at the crowd in front of him.

His _swords_ had huddled in the hallway like a pack of teenage schoolgirls. They all pretended to be doing their chores when they were supposed to be hiding. The one who resembled Illya had raised the toaster over her head and nearly bashed his skull, only to pull back at the last instance when it realized it was Archer crossing through.

He brushed past them. They followed, less out of loyalty and more from programming. Though they resembled a human counterpart of his previous life (if one were to squint their eyes hard enough), they knew less about the human condition than the creature outside. They were even less than machines or magical constructs despite how much he altered their functions.

They were swords. Purely. And swords had no such human comprehension.

Just the same, his reaction with them was just as programmed.

He made his way to the kitchen. The stove was lit with a pan warming up while he gathered the necessary ingredients. He supposed he should apologize to his Master later… or just explain to her how he didn't want to get mauled by what she thought was a goddess.

Now for the preparations.

Its name was lost forever. The One and Only had named this weapon for it was His to wield. In His pursuit to destroy His true equal, He casted the sword down into the mortal plane for it to grow. For sin was its power source. It has been wielded by Heroes of all kind. Often, it was used to bring about a new age of rule. Red was its color. Creyroux, the last name given by its last wielder.

Archer threw it around his neck and tied it around his waist. It was the perfect apron. Any splatter of grease would alter its path from his hands or countertop and land on the red shimmering fabric.

Next, he raised his hand to grab onto something.

It was a holy relic. It was forged out of the purist of metals with its hilt sealing four pieces of saints. It could cut through anything, would never break or wear away, and it can grant three miracles. Its name was Durandal.

He used it on the ingredients. A dicer at first, then a peeler, and then sheers. It changed per each request. Instead of putting it down (and accidentally cutting straight through his Master's counter and possibly cutting straight through to the center of the earth) he dismissed it into the nothingness.

He put a lid over the pan and let things simmer… and then he felt it. He head snapped around.

"Watch the stove!" he shouted and hurried out of the house.

The door slammed open and he had the cursed sword Gram in his hand. His head spun at precisely what was wrong.

"A-Archer!" Saber gasped as she leapt back onto her feet. There was a pile of rubble beneath her where had once been a garden wall. "I tried to stop her! But she…"

Off to the side was the creature. Scattered around her were the splinters and chunks belonging to a shovel and rake. _His_ shovel and rake. Their names were Asi and Halayudha.

And the beast was chewing off of the spade head of Halayudha. Her eyes were scornful as though the innocent instrument had done her harm.

No. Smacking her with Gram wasn't good enough. Introducing her to Balmung, its upgrade, wouldn't be any better. Not even the toxic weapons of Angra Mainyu was good enough. She deserved the worst punishment imaginable.

He reached for the garden hose, turned the nozzle, and splashed her in the back of the head.

She hissed and flew away, becoming the wind. Her body was a mist for a moment before rematerializing in her humanoid form. Alas, the clothes she donned could not vanish just as she had; they fell into a pile near what remained of his instruments.

She was glaring at him with absolute death. He had just pissed off the one creature on the entire planet who stood above all others. And yet, he met her gaze with one of his own. Silver and steel clashed. He refused to budge.

"If you won't behave," he spoke in a firm voice, "then I have no reason to treat you as a guest. That includes, of course, lunch."

She glared more at him, unblinking. She couldn't understand a word coming out of his mouth. She was nothing but pure animal.

But she understood intentions.

Without a shift in her expression, she crossed her legs and sat on the grass. She never looked away from him or lessen her murderous glare.

"Archer," Saber spoke up. "I apologize for bringing you such trouble. I'm… also sorry for the damage wrought on your Master's property."

His eyes flicked over to behind her. He could piece out the creature knocked her back hard enough to crumble the low brick wall. It wasn't anything he couldn't fix.

He grunted anyways, turned away, and went back inside the house.

Today was going to be one of those days.

0-0-0

Rin watched him like a hawk. She couldn't always keep an eye on him since the two of them were in different classes and in different social circles. She couldn't always follow him or else get his attention or lose her spotlight as the school idol. The glamor of it was nice, sure, but there was a reason why she put up with this fake personality. Besides, there were ways to keep track of him without being on him at all times or using magecraft.

When she couldn't follow him, she listened to her peers. She listened to the conversations around her. Most of it was pointless gossip but every now and then she would hear a miniscule detail regarding the School Janitor.

He was hard at work, they would say.

To her, he had an excuse to move around the school during breaks. They thought he was doing favors for everyone. But what if it weren't true at all? The more she listened, the more her suspicions were coming to light.

There was no way anyone could support two Servants without extreme mana fatigue. Even someone like her, who had top notch magic circuits and the reserves to supply them, wouldn't be able to carry two Servants without feeling down by the second day.

Shirou had to be getting the extra juice somewhere. But the Bounded Field wasn't complete. Since it was designed to drain everyone of their mana… it meant he was fine with committing genocide on the entirety of the school. Did that also mean he was the one responsible for bleeding innocent bystanders of their mana on a nightly basis?

And he had the audacity to question whether she was going to harm innocents. It was all just a ruse. A misdirection. She felt sick for believing him.

"Emiya-kun," she called out to him once school ended.

"Ah, hi, Tohsaka-san," he greeted with a smile. She noticed him pocket something, turning his body away so she couldn't see what it was.

"What are you doing here so late?" she pressed. Her façade was down. There was no reason to keep it up for him.

"There's something I promised Issei yesterday," he said with a sigh. "I completely forgot about it and I can't just forgo it. Fuji-nee is going to be upset with me. Ah, never mind that. What about you? I thought you went home a while ago."

Ryuudou Issei. He was the student council president and known to ask for Shirou's assistance from time to time. One might say they were close friends. It would also be a good resource on his part for this position. If he was just roaming around, he could just point at the president and everything would be cleared.

Such as right now.

"There's something that's been bothering me," she said but didn't share, trying to lure him into confessing. "That reminds me, Emiya-kun. It's pretty impressive for you to be the Master of two Servants. I don't think it's ever happened before in the history of the Grail War."

"You really think so…?" he asked, looking a little upset by her untoward compliment. He looked more upset with himself than at her. "It's not even normal in magus standards?"

"It's anything but normal," she said. "Nothing short of the best magi on the planet can support two Servants without shortening their abilities. Even then, you wouldn't be in any condition to go to school. It puts too much of a strain on the body. One Servant alone is enough."

He considered her words very carefully. He had a thoughtful expression while wrapping a few fingers under his chin.

"Then it has nothing to do with Caster's circumstance," he muttered below his breath, just loud enough for her to hear. "The problem lies with me. Neh, Tohsaka-san, for a point of reference, how are you feeling from having Archer?"

She refused to answer that question. She was a Tohsaka. She had the power to support her Servant. The only strain onto her was the enormously raging headache whenever that man opened his mouth.

"What are you up to, Emiya?" she asked, dropping the honorifics. She took a few steps forward. She was mentally preparing herself for this. She was warming up her magic circuits to strike him. She only needed a confession out of him.

"What do you mean?" he asked with a blank expression. Not clueless. He was observant, watching her approach with a clinical eye. "You're not talking about the war, are you?"

"I am. In a manner of speaking anyways. Tell me the truth. What are you really doing around school at this hour?"

The sun was starting to set. The PA went off not long ago, telling all of the students it was past club activity time and for everyone to go home.

He frowned at her. For all his cluelessness, he wasn't a complete idiot. He knew when he was being pushed into a corner. He knew when she was instigating something out of him.

"There's… something surrounding the school," he said, eyes flickering towards the window and surrounding walls. "I don't know what it is. I wanted to talk to you about it earlier but I couldn't find an opportunity. You seemed busy earlier talking to all those people."

She didn't blink at that but she felt a ting of surprise. He had been keeping tabs on her just as she had of him? At least he hadn't noticed she had been spying on him. Or… was this yet another one of his masques? Was he really trying to deflect the situation to appear as something innocent?

"You mean the Bounded Field?" Rin crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing slightly. "What can you tell me about it?"

"Bounded Field…" he repeated the term. "You mean like the thing around my house? Ah. I knew I was going to need Caster's help. Well, I picked up a few extra chores today so I could wander around the main building. I found a lot of hotspots on my own. I don't know what to do with them, though."

He pulled out what he had hidden from his pocket. It was a foldup sheet of the school's map. It was something handed out to the first-years so they could find their classrooms and get better accustomed to the school. He had marked several rooms and made notes on the side.

When she eyed it, she noticed he was watching her reaction just as much as she was watching him. While he had a small grimace from being badgered by her, she felt it was nothing more than a mask. His eyes were sharp and piercing, trying to read everything about her.

"Emiya, where are your Servants?" she breathed out.

This map. It was all the evidence she needed.

Shirou's brows rose as he folded the map back into its compact square and pocketed it. "Home, I guess. I left Saber there to take care of things while I'm here but… Caster was supposed to meet me as soon as school ended. I've no idea what's keeping her."

There was some truth in there. She didn't fully believe his words but she could at least confirm Saber and Caster weren't present.

"Then you're just here by yourself?" she asked.

"Yes?" he more asked than answered.

"Alone, when you are aware there is a war going on," now it was a statement.

He didn't reply. All expression washed away from his face. He realized where this was going.

"You're either an idiot… or you think you're invincible," she spoke softly but lined with a layer of malevolence.

"The sun's still up," he nearly croaked. He pointed at the window behind them. "I thought the war was supposed to be a secret."

"It is," she agreed. "But do you see anyone with us?"

There was a pregnant silence as he looked around. His head swiveled left and right. The hallway was empty. His eyes went towards the window. She saw him searching for something. His lips pressed into a thin line as the silence dragged on.

"I don't want to fight you, Tohsaka-san," he said in a low voice. "I meant it when I said I can't see you as my enemy."

She almost laughed at that.

His eyes widened as he sensed her intentions. He moved without hesitation. He jerked to the right, threw his feet over the edge of the staircase, and leapt down.

She ran to the edge and peered over, dazed he had done something so rash. She saw him land perfectly on one set of stairs, feet planted flat on a step. He looked up for a second; their eyes meeting briefly. It was the only pause he took as he twisted himself around and began to flee.

The height wasn't anything excruciating. But for a regular human without any sort of mystic reinforcement? He should have been tumbling down from the landing.

She didn't attempt the same feat. She went around, rushing down the stairs, nearly leaping at every other step after him. While doing so, she rolled up the sleeve of left arm. There, blazing with the glow of her magic, was her family's magic crest.

When she reached the bottom floor, she saw him turn around another corner down the hallway and keep going. She clicked her tongue, frustrated she couldn't take a shot at him. But she pursued.

She cheated. No, this wasn't a game. This was her duty not only as a Master but also as the Second Owner. She threw aside all code of conduct when she used reinforcement magic. Now she ran twice, nearly thrice as fast as the regular human.

She skidded across the floor at the last leap and pointed a finger around the corner. When she passed the wall, a black orb formed at her fingertip, ready to be launched by a mental command.

She blinked. Once again, at the end of the hallway, she saw Shirou turn at the last instance.

She growled but kept up the chase. Her surroundings became a blur as she moved forward. She crossed the hallway in a matter of seconds, deciding to keep up the pace if it meant to reach him. Instead of sliding or pausing to aim, she banked off the side wall, leaping up onto the other corner, and flew down the hallway Shirou had just entered. A finger was raised to fire as soon as she saw his back.

…Instead, she caught a glimpse of him before he slipped through _another_ corner.

What the hell?!

Caster had to have given him something. She had to. There was no way he was going to go to school without protection of some kind.

Still, Rin pushed on. She followed Shirou through the school.

He led her through a frenzy of twists and turns. Most of the time she could only catch the briefest of glimpses as he escaped her sight. Sometimes she caught him just before he could turn and fire off a few Gandr spells. But, as though he had eyes in the back of his skull, he dodged them without losing momentum.

And sometimes he would disappear completely until he made noise… behind her. Such as the opening of doors or tripping over things left out in the hallway.

This… This was a game to him. He wasn't even trying to escape! He wasn't trying to fight back! He was just toying with her!

She couldn't give up. If she let him go then it would be impossible to get at him again. He had a Caster and a Saber under his command. Trying to assault his house would just backfire horrendously. Trying to lure him back to school another day would only endanger everyone else. She had to stop him here and now.

Forgoing finesse, she blew out the windows, hoping some of the glass flying everywhere would cut into him. She blew apart the ground, hoping he would trip over and lose his footing. She tried to shoot him through the walls, hoping to get lucky.

Eventually, the game came to an end. He cornered himself.

"Tohsaka-san…" he put up a hand as he took a few steps back. His back hit the wall. "Can't we talk about this?"

She didn't realize how hard she was breathing until this little chase of theirs came to a conclusion. Her blouse was drenched in her sweat and she needed a moment before she could speak. Her cheeks were flushed in both irritation and exertion.

"You don't get it, do you?" she breathed out— it _wasn't_ a gasp. "This is war, Emiya-kun. I am a Master; you are a Master. We're both enemies no matter what."

"But I don't want to fight you…" he muttered with a sour expression.

She realized he was hardly winded. Whatever Caster gave him didn't exhaust his stamina as much as it had Rin's. As expected of someone summoned under the Caster class. But it was still unfair.

"I haven't killed you yet Emiya-kun because there's something I need you to do," she said while keeping a finger pointed at him. There was nowhere for him to run now. The only way was to get through her and the moment he did would she fire.

He didn't say anything. He was listening intently.

"Take down the Bounded Field," she ordered.

His eyes locked straight with hers, searching through her. "You mean you won't kill me if I do."

"No, I'll still kill you," she said bluntly. "You just won't suffer for it."

She fired a shot at his feet. The black orb of curses made a crack on the floor and sizzled for a moment.

"The Gandr spell isn't lethal," she explained. "At least not by itself. Getting hit by this would put you in bed for the entire day. But get hit enough by it? You'll be in a world of misery."

His eyes moved from the ground back to hers. He spoke in a steady voice… almost unfazed, "And why would you do that?"

"You're kidding, right?" she scoffed. "This Bounded Field is designed to suck the mana straight out of everyone within it! With something at this level, you'd be killing everyone inside!"

"The proctor said it's not against the rules for innocents to get involved," he pointed out.

She nearly saw red by his reaction. She was tempted to just shoot him here and now. "Maybe some other magus would use this to win. But not me. It's sickening. I'm not going to throw away all those lives even if it would assure my victory."

All expression within him changed. He no longer regarded her as a threat.

Instead… he smiled.

"That's a relief," he said with a heavily relieved voice. "So you're not the one who set it up. I knew you were a better person than that."

She stared at him for a long moment.

"…Tohsaka-san?"

And then she shot him directly in the chest.

He stumbled back by the shock of it while the black orb pierced through his clothes and sank into the skin underneath. The curse would take effect depending on his magic resistance and he would have the worst case of the flu imaginable.

"Don't try to weasel yourself out of this one, Emiya," she spat. "Don't try and pretend you have nothing to do with this! Don't you _dare_ pretend to be the one looking for the culprit all along!"

"But I was looking for—"

She fired another shot. He dodged it this time. His body sank to the floor until he was sitting in a corner.

"H-Hold on!" he sputtered, throwing his hands up to shield himself. "I'm being serious!"

"Get real!" her face was turning crimson with outrage. "You expect me to believe you of all people can support two Servants on your own?! You have to be getting support somehow! Who else would be going around draining people of mana while setting up a Bounded Field to do the same thing at a larger scale?!"

"…Draining people?" his hands lowered somewhat. "Wait. Tohsaka-san, what do you mean by draining people? People have been dying because of the war?"

Her eyes fell flat. There was no point talking to him anymore.

She almost shot him in the head.

The only thing stopping her was the shrill scream of terror echoing throughout the building.

Her head whipped around in response. It was an instinct.

She saw movement in the corner of her eye. Shirou was getting up and trying to rush past her. She spun back around and fired another spell.

"Move," he said in a sharp voice. His eyes were hard. He turned his body out of the way with little effort and without losing stride of his feet. With just as little effort, he put a hand on her shoulder and pushed her aside. The suddenness of it all caught her off balance.

She fell onto her rear and he was sprinting back down the hallway.

She didn't need the moment to regain her footing. She needed the moment to not scream herself.

She had him cornered and he blew right past her! Way to go Rin!

0-0-0

Danger. She sensed danger. Something was approaching. Another Servant? She couldn't tell. Whatever it was tickled her sense of danger.

It was why she didn't finish devouring the girl. She slipped away and out the door before this other entity approached.

What came startled her. At first, she was bombarded with the stench of steel with this approaching figure. But her other senses read something different. In the end, all she found was a young man no older than her proxy Master.

He approached her victim, knelt down, and began to check on her vitals. The girl will survive, maybe have a few years shaved off of her life. But she will keep on living.

She wasn't sure what she had sensed earlier. Maybe in her weakened state was she rattled and paranoid. She was not at the peak of her power under the servitude of her current Master. She knew she could not last long against the more formidable Servants such as the Saber or Berserker. The slightest sense of danger made her cautious, much to her Master's ire.

She realized she had sensed the arrival of another Master. This boy was a Master, which meant a Servant couldn't be far behind.

Or was it not? She could not detect the presence of another Servant. Unless that Servant in question was an Assassin. Well, even if it was, she was confident she could defeat the arguably weakest class in the war.

She didn't move yet. There was something else.

Another Master arrived, barking out nonsense until the scene was explored. This one was a young woman in the same age. Yet, just as curiously, there was still no Servant. Two Masters but no Servants?

She waited patiently. There was no trap. No Servant materialized as the two of them conversed and tried to treat the victim. The boy could do nothing other than diagnose. The girl, a proper magus, was doing what she could to revitalize the victim.

Slinking between the trees, Rider materialized and drew upon her daggers. The more obvious threat was the magus. The boy, despite being a Master, was just as unimpressive as her own Master.

Like a serpent, she waited.

And then struck.

She threw her chained dagger through the air, slipping through the smallest gaps within the trees. It was aimed directly at the magus' head.

The boy intercepted. He shoved the girl out of the way. In doing so, his arm was impaled by her dagger.

Her nose crinkled. She didn't smell blood despite hearing the splatter of liquid. She smelled… only more steel. Curious.

It didn't matter. One Master out of the war was still better than nothing.

She pulled. The boy flew off his feet and she kept pulling. He was dragged through the ground, bumping into trees and bushes. He did not scream. He did not fight. He willed it to happen.

Jumping around the trees while pulling on the chain allowed her to create a net. When he was near her vicinity, the dagger pulled him upwards until he was hanging several meters off the ground. His body dangled while lazily swinging and spinning by his dead arm.

She observed his behavior.

"You are not afraid," she noticed.

He didn't respond right away. He was searching for the right words to use in this situation.

"You're not the worst I've come across," he decided to say in the end.

His eyes went to where she was hiding. He had no difficulty finding her despite the web of chains she had created. Following them to their end would have been an arduous task. Yet he had no difficulty finding her. No. It was more like he always knew where she was.

He studied her just as she was studying him. There was no expression on his face. She likened him to a doll, void of all life.

He noticed her observation. Expression returned to his face. It wasn't natural; he had to remind himself he needed to express emotion.

"Were you the one who almost killed that girl?" he asked.

"I have no reason to answer that," she replied in monotone. He was still an enemy Master. He would still need to die in the end.

"Why?" he asked next.

He wasn't asking about her silence. He was asking about the girl.

"I have no reason to answer that," she repeated.

He frowned, "This puts me in a bad spot. I promised Saber I would let her fight the other Servants in the war."

She tilted her head. How curious. He spoke as though he could challenge a Servant. Even as weakened as she was, there was no possible way a mundane human could oppose her.

She felt insulted this boy could garnish the idea.

"I guess that's fine," he said while scratching the top of his head with his other hand.

The marks in the back of his hand lit up.

"Saber, by this Command Seal—"

Rider moved. The trap she wove was spun.

The chains wrapped around him in irregular ways. It wasn't to encase him and bind him into place. It was to snap and break him.

Bones shattered and soft muscle was crushed. His neck was compressed.

The stench of steel was more prominent than ever.

Something wasn't right.

"Come forth!" he finished, raising his hand up despite the chains keeping him in place and despite having his vitals crushed. He should be dead. He should be immobilized. Yet his strength defied hers and her constrictions.

The Command Seal lit up before going dim. One of the three lines became nothing more than a light blemish.

There came a swirl of wind and a torrent of power. Light exploded on the ground.

A maiden appeared, bearing a weapon sheathed in wind and light.

The Saber's eyes locked immediately on Rider's hidden form.

Rider swore under her breath.

0-0-0

Rin heard the clash of conflict. Explosive conflict. The likes of which only Servants can pull off.

The proof was one such explosion that uprooted an entire tree and sending it a few meters above the forest head. Following that was the thunderous boom of the tree crashing onto its counterparts, knocking others down, and creating a domino effect until the force was properly dispersed.

Yup. Definitely the fight of Servants.

 _Archer just where the hell are you?_

" _Rin,"_ the telepathic voice of her Servant answered by her call. _"I'm almost there. Don't be alarmed but… I have a tail."_

She lowered the head of the school girl. She did everything she could. The girl was drained of mana but not at a lethal level.

She considered Archer's comment.

… _That goddess went back to the house, didn't she?_

" _I've yet to get rid of her,"_ he confirmed. _"Never mind her. What's your situation?"_

 _Emiya-kun was just dragged away by another Servant. I'm guessing he used a Command Seal to summon his Servant._

" _Saber did suddenly vanish…"_ she heard him mutter lowly.

Her brow twitched.

 _What was that about Saber? Are you telling me she was at MY house?!_

"… _It's a long story. One I will gladly share with you another time, Master. For now, get clear. I'm going to be engaging once I arrive."_

She quirked a brow. There was no question of commands or suggesting of priorities. Archer didn't even ask for her opinion. He was dead-set on attacking. Did he even know which Servant they were up against?

Or… was he still determined on fighting Shirou and his Servants because of the night before?

"Hold on, Archer," she said aloud this time. "Something came up. I don't think Emiya-kun is responsible for the Bounded Field after all."

" _You could have fooled me,"_ he snorted. It sounded like he knew all along about Shirou.

…Did he? And _not_ tell her?

" _You forget, Master, this is war. You said so yourself. You were going to be treating Emiya as an enemy Master and not give him any chances. We can't take any chances when he's that big of a threat. Weren't those your words exactly last night? I'm merely following your orders."_

Bullshit. Since _when_ does he follow her orders so willingly? It took her a wasted Command Seal for him to listen the first time!

"There's more at work here, Archer," she argued. "What if Emiya-kun really was trying to undo the Bounded Field? With Caster, he could pull it off. If you kill him then we might not be able to—"

" _Sorry, what was that?"_ Archer cut in. _"Master. I can't hear you. You're… breaking up…"_

Her mind came to a halt.

"THAT'S NOT HOW IT WORKS!" she shouted with shaking fists.

He didn't respond. He was blocking their connection.

She kicked a nearby trashcan. Was her own Servant pulling off that amount of idiocy?! Unbelievable!

She was biting her thumb she was so frustrated. She was going to get wrinkles and gray hairs by the end of the week at this rate! If not by Shirou then by her own Servant!

Stay away, he said?

He wouldn't be so willing to take the shot if his own Master was in danger, would he?

Groaning once more, she set off to join the fray.

0-0-0

Saber deflected another large nail that was her enemy's weapon of choice. It was an odd thing. But it didn't mean it was harmless. On the contraire, the danger didn't lie in its penetrating tip.

The danger lied in the chains attached to the nails. There were two weapons and each one held a nearly endless thread of chains. One was always thrown as a distraction while the other as harm. Sometimes the one meant for harm was the distraction and the other was used to lay a trap.

The longer Saber fought against the Servant, the more she realized she was surrounding herself in a spider's web. The Servant lacked the strength of Berserker but made up in its agility and cunning. Saber could scarcely find it standing still longer than a blink as it leapt from tree to tree.

As clever as it was, using a method like a spider's web could never hope to restrain a lion.

"Strike Air!" she commanded and brought her weapon forward.

The sheath of air hiding her weapon exploded with her swing. The hammer of the fairy king was unleashed. It toppled trees and undid the anchors maintaining the foundations of the trap. The efforts of this Servant were undone with a single swing.

And with it, her Master was set free. His body fell to the ground.

She expected him to land gracefully on his feet. Instead, he landed flat on his back, grunting as all the air escaped his lungs.

…Surely this wasn't the invincible Master from the night before. Or was this all just a ruse to confuse the enemy? Why do such a thing? He hid nothing against the Beserker and Illyasviel. Or was he hiding his true strength because the Master of this Servant wasn't present?

It didn't matter. There would be no point in learning the identity of the Master if the Servant was defeated. And if the Master was cowardly enough to hide in the first place, then they will likely seek safety in the church.

Saber continued to rush forward. She didn't need to worry about defending her Master. It meant she could focus everything on pursuing this Servant. This Servant, who continued to try and escape. It knew it was outmatched.

But, like a lion on the hunt, Saber was willing to chase it down to the ends of the earth. The Servant knew it too and was fighting desperately to find that window to slip through.

" _Do you know who I am?"_ she heard in the distance.

It was as soft as a whisper… but as powerful and as imposing as the sun. It drew upon the attention of both Servants.

She could not look away from it. And, she knew, the enemy Servant couldn't either. Whatever it was forced her to look upon it and acknowledge its greatness. It was like when she pulled Excalibur for the first time and seeing its immaculate beauty.

"SABER!" cried her Master.

She blinked as she realized it was a glamour. Some sorcery to distract her. Something to lull her mind and seduce her. The outcry of genuine panic— the first, true, raw emotion she had ever heard come from her Master— rattled her mind and broke the compulsion.

It was just in time to see the multicolored blade come straight for her.

Excalibur was brought around to deflect it. The projectile was a thin sword with a narrow tip. It was designed for stabbing over slashing, to pierce through the gaps in armor. Parrying it would be child's play.

And yet… when Excalibur met it, her bones rattled as though she had just tried to parry a battering ram. The projectile hardly nudged off its course when she was struck. Instead of being pierced through the chest was she struck in the shoulder.

The impact sent her spiraling off her feet and tumbling over the ground. The world around her was a blur as she bounced off of fallen trees and the sloping lands.

Her spinning was halted by a cushion. It was not soft.

Her Master had caught her, wrapping his arms around hers while his feet slid against the ground. He had moved impossibly fast to intercept her. His eyes were looking outward instead of examining her. He was focused on the next projectile to come.

Nothing happened. The forest was silent.

This silence… it meant the enemy Servant had escaped.

"Thank you, Shirou," Saber said. Her eyes glanced down onto the arms around her waist. "You can release me now."

…Her feet couldn't touch the floor.

He wasn't flustered or apologetic about it. He let her down without a word while keeping his eyes locked forward. He didn't blink. He wouldn't dare to.

His posture relaxed but his face fell into one of extreme grievance. Something was upsetting him. However, she couldn't tell if this was another raw emotion or if this was one of his façades.

"What is it?" she asked.

"…Archer," he answered. "He's coming towards us to meet Tohsaka-san. He's not going to fight us right now. I don't think he was aiming to kill you… but I don't know why."

A brow was raised. She could argue against that notion. The projectile _was_ aimed at her heart. Had she not been able to snap out of whatever glamour Archer used then she would have been dead.

"I am sorry, Shirou," she said with a hardened look. "You used a Command Seal and I was unable to fulfill my duty. The enemy Servant escaped."

"It's fine," he said in reassurance… though with a groan. He ran a hand through his hair out of habit. So habitual, in fact, he failed to notice he had used the arm with a gaping wound through it. A large hole oozed blood; large enough for Saber to stick a few fingers through if she wanted.

He noticed her staring and lowered his hand. He grimaced, grumbling something under his breath, and pull off his uniform coat. He used it to wrap the arm.

Should it not be cleaned? That was, of course, assuming Shirou was susceptible to such infections. But what about the bleeding? Should the wound not be sealed shut? Or was he hiding it until his regenerative abilities could repair the damage?

"Emiya-kun!" Rin called out as she broke through the trees and entered the clearing. It wasn't a clearing at first, until Saber arrived.

"Tohsaka-san," Shirou nodded at her. His face fell into something more welcoming lined with concerned. "How's the girl? Will she be fine?"

Rin stopped pacing and stared at him as though he had just insulted her. "She's fine. Shouldn't you be concerned about yourself? Just look at you! That arm is bleeding! You need to have that taken care of as soon as possible!"

"It's not as bad as it looks," he argued, lifting his arm and flexing his fingers. With such a wound, it shouldn't be possible. But the jacket hid how dreadful it truly was. "See? I'm fine. But thank you for the concern."

She could only scowl at him. In the end, she huffed and turned her head suddenly to the side.

"Archer! Get out here!"

"I wasn't exactly hiding, Master," rebuked the Servant of the Bow. He stepped through the trees and joined them. He had a thick scowl of annoyance on his face.

"You let the thing who was feeding on a student get away!" Rin barked.

"Not by my own hand, I promise," he muttered. He reached behind him and grabbed the strange woman by her collar and pulled her forward. His eyes glared down at Shirou, "I believe this is yours?"

The mystery woman looked between Archer and Shirou with a perplexed look.

"…She's more of a stray," Shirou commented dryly while his eyes never looked away from Archer.

"Well this thing made me miss," he grunted while releasing her and crossing his arms. "I was aiming at Rider when she nudged me at the last second. Not that I wouldn't mind taking out Saber, but, you're right, Master. Having her run around like that is too risky. The war might be exposed."

An accident? Truly? The aim was too true to be merely an accident. It was aimed directly at her heart. The only reason why she didn't call him out on it was because he did not deny he was unwilling to kill her.

On another note, Saber learned the enemy Servant was summoned under the Rider class. She wondered if Archer had engaged with her before.

"Emiya-kun, I want to ask you something," Rin spoke up. Her voice was hard.

Shirou continued to stare at Archer for a bit longer. His brows furrowed when he looked away to acknowledge Rin.

"Do you have any part in the Bounded Field around the school? Answer me honestly."

"Only to tear it down and prevent the deaths," he answered without hesitation. "I agreed to participate in the war to prevent needless disasters."

Saber studied Rin's reaction. Rin was searching through Shirou's eyes, scanning for any signs of deception. She could find none but her heart didn't believe it. She continued to look.

Eventually, she found the answer to be satisfactory.

"Alright," she said. "I believe you. I think I owe you an apology, Emiya-kun."

"You don't," he shook his head. "You were thinking reasonably… for the most part. I almost assumed the same thing with you. You're the only mage I know in school."

"In that case, I'd like to propose something to you," she said, crossing one arm under her chest while raising a finger. "An alliance. _Only_ until the Bounded Field is destroyed and the Servant who built it. I also want to discover the identity of the Master."

Shirou had a troubled look as he scratched the ridge of his brow. He didn't say anything at first.

"…First you try to kill me and now you're trying to help me?" he muttered beneath his breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing! Yeah, I'm okay with that. But I think the decision goes to Saber. Saber, what do you think?"

Saber glanced at Archer in the corner of her eye. Truthfully, she didn't trust the man. He had already tried to kill her, twice if she listened to her rarely inaccurate intuition. Even with this alliance, there was no guarantee Archer wouldn't try to aim at her back once more.

"I alone cannot make this decision," she said in the end. "I request time to discuss this with Caster seeing as how she is not present."

"That's fine," Rin waved a hand. "I expect your answer by tomorrow, Emiya-kun. I can't afford to wait around very long while that thing is running rampant."

"You'll have your answer by tomorrow," Shirou assured.

Rin nodded and then glanced at his arm. "Are you sure you're okay? It looked pretty painful back there. If you want, I can at least clean it for you."

"Thank you, Tohsaksa-san," Shirou smiled at her. "But that's fine. I have Caster for things like that. I can already see her now complaining to me about her correcting someone else's magic. That's all she does back at my place…"

Saber saw Rin's brow twitch.

"I have one question, though," Shirou's voice dropped in pitch while he faced Archer.

Archer didn't react. His face was full of expectancy.

"Those words," Shirou said. "Where did you hear those words from?"

He was talking about the aria used in Archer's glamour.

Archer shrugged, "They are a part of my identity, so I'm not going to share with you the exact details. However… this is the Holy Grail War, where Heroic Spirits are summoned. It's not unbelievable for one of us to be summoned."

He said it dispassionately. Yet, it stirred a reaction out of Shirou. Shirou went completely still with both awe… and disgust.

"That sword you used," Shirou spoke up with a heavy frown. "It had no name."

"I named it," Archer countered. He snorted with a cynical smile, "Though I doubt someone like you would like it."

"I don't want to hear it," he protested. "It was disgusting. It was so flawed and broken and… _warped._ I don't know what that thing was. I've never seen anything like it before."

Archer wasn't insulted. He was amused. He shrugged again.

"Archer, please don't make my day that much worse," Rin growled out while rubbing one of her temples.

"I live to serve, Master," he snorted with heavy sarcasm.

"We're going now," Shirou spoke up. "I'll let you know what's going on tomorrow, Tohsaka-san."

"Please do," she replied. "Good night, Emiya-kun. I'm sorry again about earlier."

"Don't forget to take your dog with you," Archer's chin nudged towards the mystery woman.

"Right, right," grumbled Shirou before speaking a little louder. "Come on. Let's go home. It's getting late. Fuji-nee is probably fuming. I'll treat you to someone once she leaves, okay?"

The mystery woman had no interest at all in their conversation. She looked almost bored. But as soon as Shirou muttered the word 'treat', he had her full attention. She took a few steps forward until she could grab the sleeve of his arm.

The more Saber was around this character, the more she couldn't help but compare her to a domesticated animal. A dog, specifically.

They started to leave when Archer spoke up.

"Personally, I think perfection is flawed."

Shirou stopped moving entirely. His back was turned to Rin and Archer. None other than Saber could see his expression.

What she saw was complete inhuman stillness.

Life returned to him and he began to move again.

The group separated. She and Shirou did not speak again until they both knew they were out of hearing distance from Rin and Archer.

"Did something occur between you and Archer's Master?" Saber inquired.

"She thought I was responsible for the death-barrier around school and tried to kill me," Shirou said casually as though it were an innocent misunderstanding.

Saber could only nod in acceptance.

"Those parting words with Archer," she recalled. "They meant something to you. Do you have an idea on his identity?"

He frowned again. The recollection of Archer irked him somehow.

"He could be anyone," he said begrudgingly, annoyed to admit something she couldn't understand. "I only know he's just like _shishou_."

Her head tilted with curiosity. He was unwilling to share further. She decided to press later when he was in a better mood. Archer's charade had displeased him.

Once they were out of school grounds and walking down the street, Saber sensed the presence of another Servant. She did not summon Excalibur once again. She was familiar with this signature.

"Caster," Shirou greeted towards the open air.

In a swirl of purple and blue dust did Caster materialize. She had her hood drawn, revealing her lavender hair and pointed ears.

"My, that certainly took longer than expected," Caster returned the greeting with one of her own. "I was wondering why you didn't fight back though, Shirou."

"I didn't want to hurt Tohsaka-san," Shirou said with exasperation. "I don't have much to reprimand anything too squishy. Most of the time I'm trying to kill them or beat them unconscious. The rest of the time I'm running away from them so they don't get hurt."

"Ah, you mean like all the times Taiga smacks you around?" Caster teased with a smile.

"Exactly!" Shirou pointed at her with a bright expression. He mellowed out quickly. "So, what do you think? Did you manage to find anything about the Bounded Field?"

"Nothing aside from what we discussed earlier," Caster shook her head with a sour curve of her lips. "It's crudely made by someone who doesn't understand magecraft at all. Some skill is required, sure, but it seems more like the assembling from a blueprint. There's no signature to it that makes it unique. However, I will need some time if I am to sabotage it. I've no idea why you won't allow me to disperse it with my Rule Breaker, though."

"Destroying the Bounded Field won't solve the problem," he said. "If anything, it will alert them on what we can do and they can try to do it again elsewhere. We need to get rid of them instead."

Saber nodded at these wise words. It was best to go to the source of the problem. Always.

"I did manage to get a good look on the culprit," Caster's face suddenly darkened. "He didn't suspect a thing as I marked him with a tracing spell. Shirou, you know this individual. Are you sure you wish to know who it is?"

Saber almost spoke up. If what she followed was understood, Caster was claiming the Master of Rider was someone Shirou knew well enough to leave an impact on him. Someone close. She could sympathize with the behavior, for she had a number of betrayals at her back.

Shirou shook his head, "I already know who it is. That Servant, the one Archer called Rider, she didn't try to trick us. She went straight to her Master's place."

Caster pouted, "All that work and you figure it out instantly. Honestly, what was the point of pulling me away then?"

"I'm sorry Caster," Shirou put up a hand. "I'll make it up to you, I promise. In the meantime, how are you feeling?"

"Quite," Caster responded curtly. "Today's carbuncle was more of a nuisance than a chore, let alone a labor. I am fine, Shirou."

"How about you, Saber?" he asked her at his side.

"I am hardly troubled, Shirou," she answered rightly. "The skirmish with the Rider was hardly anything. I am not weary in the slightest."

"That's good," he said. "Because we're going after the Rider."

"Hoh?" Caster had a smile full of teasing curiosity. "You mean you have no interest in capturing the Tohsaka girl's heart? This alliance is a good excuse to get to know her, Shirou. If not for personal gain than at least to learn more about her Servant."

"I shall support Shirou's decision," Saber interjected. "Though I must question his judgment. Shirou, being too hasty is the enemy. We cannot just attack their stronghold without a plan."

"Sure we can," he said as he began to walk. She realized he wasn't asking for their permission. He was going and was only letting them know so they can either follow or stay out of his way. "I've been there before a number of times. I know every trap there is in that house. Just to let you know, I'm not going there because of Rider."

Saber scowled at that, "Then what purpose is there if not to vanquish this monster?"

His voice was hardened, "You can deal with Rider if you want. I'm going because a _worm_ broke a deal he wasn't allowed to forget."

She couldn't help but exchange a look with Caster. Caster had a slight frown but understood the situation just as little as she did. All they could do was follow him.

0-0-0

"…You were aiming at Saber," Rin accused.

In his phantasmal state, Archer shrugged, _"So what if I was? Alliance or no, she is another Servant. We're going to have to kill each other at some point and I'd rather do it when she's not looking instead of head on. I'd like to pick and choose my battles if I can._ "

She couldn't withhold the frown as she walked the usual route to her house. The sky was starting to darken. A little quicker than usual, even with the winter season. She was too wired on today's events to pay it any closer attention.

"If Emiya-kun agrees, I don't want you to gun at him or his Servants," she said with a voice that could not be argued with. "Do you understand?"

" _Perfectly,"_ he said right away.

She didn't believe him. But she knew the compulsion of the Command Seal would make things difficult for him. It had been such a broad command and yet he couldn't defy her orders other than the regular sarcasm and cynicism.

"You seem to remember a bit of your past," she said next. "Care to share with the class?"

" _Not as much as you would like. I remember a fragment of my Noble Phantasm; just enough to use it like I did today. I can't tell you exactly what it is, however. It's more of a feeling than an explanation._

" _And I remember the woman. She's not a goddess. She's what you might call a living concept."_

"That's exactly what the gods were," she pointed out.

" _To a degree, yes. You can say the Concept of Conflict would eventually be revered as the god Mars. But she's different than these gods. To be more specific, from what I understand, she is an Incarnation to a source material."_

An Incarnation. Capital 'I'. The only things that were like that were Phantasmal Beasts with an identity. Things like dragons, elementals, and the frightening effigies of Gaia. But instead of being _just_ one of these things, they were the things as a collective whole.

The latest craze exciting the Clock Tower was the Incarnation of Solstice. Who was, ridiculously enough, _Santa Clause_ as was created by the Coca-Cola Corporation.

It's a cute idea until one learns this same Incarnation was the source of the Black Plague.

"So what?" Rin asked over her shoulder. "Do you know which Incarnation she is? The lunar calendar? And how about why she hangs around Emiya-kun so much?"

She could feel him shaking his head, _"Don't know. All I know is… I remember sharing meals with her. I remember meals with just the two of us. And then, I remember… sharing meals with her and several others. A family of sorts. They all look like a bunch of oddballs._

" _I know the identity of Saber, Master. She was in my memories."_

Rin almost stopped walking. This information was priceless.

"She didn't seem to recognize you," she stated.

" _Who knows why,"_ he shrugged once more. _"My memories aren't exactly clear. I don't know who I am yet. I might learn the reason when they become clearer."_

"Do let me know when that happens," she said.

Her nose picked up something. Her eyes lifted up towards the sky.

"There's a fire nearby."

"… _So there is,"_ Archer agreed. _"Would you like me to scout ahead?"_

"It's probably someone who left the stove on," Rin dismissed it. "There's no need for you to do that when I can find out myself. Still… it seems rather close to my house."

She could see the smoke now that she was closer. That was the reason why the sky was getting darker than usual. She told herself there was nothing to worry about. The wards around her house would prevent things like accidental fires. Besides, her house was _old_. She didn't have the modern gas burners. Everything was old fashioned or fueled by magic.

…It didn't stop her feet from walking faster.

…It didn't stop her from powerwalking.

…It didn't stop her from breaking out into a full sprint.

She stopped dead in her tracks right at the gate. Rather, what remained of her gate. It had been sieged so the fire crew could get onto the lawn and into the building.

Her ruby eyes reflected the dancing flames and smoke rising up to the heavens. Her satchel fell from numb fingers.

"Archer…?" she whispered.

He didn't respond.

"Why is my house on fire?"

The wards should have prevented this. Hell, the response team should have ignored this mess even if there was a fire in the first place! All the magic woven into the foundations of the family grounds should have kept the mundane populace ignorant of whatever happened beyond the walls! How was this happening?!

"Stand back!" one of the firemen said to her. "It's dangerous to go in there."

"That's my house!" she argued. "What are you doing here?! What's going on?! Why is my house on fire?!"

She snapped. She lost her composure.

"This is yours?" the fireman said dumbfounded. Her brow twitched as she was reminded of a _certain_ dumbfounded red-head. "I see. Most of the flames have been contained. The cause of it was… this."

The fireman stepped aside for a moment, retrieved an object from one of the trucks, and handed it to her.

She stared at it with a hollow expression.

It was a toaster. It was in pristine condition despite being the source of the hell within.

 **Ragnarok** was etched in one corner of its smooth surface.

She felt Archer jerk through their connection.

"…I don't even own a toaster," she said in a dead voice.

She didn't. She didn't own a single piece of electronics. She used magic for everything.

"We have everything handled," said the fireman. "But it's too unstable for you to stay here. Do you by chance have somewhere you can stay, miss? Family, perhaps?"

She let out a single bark of laughter. Family. She had no family. Her family was dead. She lived alone in that mansion. That mansion… That mansion was the last heirloom she had from her family and it was now burning into nothingness.

At least, fire or not, nothing would be able to get through to the basement. Her family's magical legacy can be salvaged.

" _Rin,"_ Archer's voice called out to her. _"Snap out of it and answer the man. Tell him you can check into a hotel. Don't worry about the details."_

"I have a place I can stay at," she said in monotone. She wasn't paying much attention until the words escaped her lips.

Did she truly have somewhere she could stay at?

She found the answer as easy as breathing. Hell, she could take complete advantage of the situation enough to call it abuse.

"Yes," she said with a sweet smile. "As a matter of fact, I'll be staying with a classmate of mine."

Only then did she let out a chorus of maniacal laughter, making the fireman take a few steps back.

She didn't know how. Maybe it was a subliminal message from the forgotten gods. But she was pretty _fucking_ sure Emiya Shirou had something to do with this.

She didn't notice the way Archer quivered.


End file.
